NUTMEG. This well-known and favorite spice is the kernel—mostly consisting of the albumen—of the fruit of several species of myristica. This genus belongs to a natu ral order of exogens called myristicacem, which contains about forty species, all tropical trees or shrubs, natives of Asia, Madagascar, and Amerida. They generally have red juice, or a juice which becomes red ou exposure to air. The order is allied to lauracea The leaves are alternate and without stipules. The flowers are unisexual, the perianth generally trifid, the filaments united into a column. The fruit is succulent, yet opens like a capsule by two valves. The seed is nut-like, covered with a lacihiated fleshy aril, and has an albumen penetrated by its membranous covering. The species of this order are generally more or less aromatic in all their parts; their juice is styptic and somewhat acrid; the albumen and aril contain both a fixed and an essential oil, and those of some species are used as spices. The genus myristica has the anthers united in a cylindrical column, and the cotyledons folded. The species which furnishes the greater part of the nutmegs of commerce is M. fragrans or moschata; but the long nutmeg (M. fatua), from the Banda isles, is now not uncommon in our markets. The common nutmeg-tree is about 25 ft. in height, with oblong leaves, and axillary few-flowered racemes; the fruit is of the size and appearance of a roundish pear, golden yellow in color when ripe. The fleshy part of the fruit is rather hard, and is of a peculiar consistence, resembling candied fruit; it is often preserved and eaten as a sweetmeat. Within is the nut, enveloped in the curious yellowish-red aril, the Mace (q.v.), under which is a thin shining brown shell, slightly grooved by the pressure of the mace, and within is the kernel or nutmeg. lip to 1796, the Dutch being the possessors of the Banda isles, jealousy prevented the nntmeg from being carried in a living state to any other place; but during the conquest and retention of the islands by the British, care was taken to spread•the culture of this valuable spice, and plants were sent to Penang, India, and other places, where they are now successfully cultivated; indeed, they have now become established in the 'West India Islands, and both Jamaica and Trinidad produce excellent nutmegs. Brazil is also
found favorable to their culture. The nutmeg is very liable to the attack of a beetle, which is very destructive, and it is a common practice to give them a coating of lime before shipping them to Europe, in order to protect them from its ravages. The Dutch or Batavian nutmegs are nearly always limed, but those from Penang are not, and are consequently of a greater value. The nutmeg yields, by expression, a peculiar yellow fat, called oil of mace, because, from its color and flavor, it was generally supposed to, be derived from mace; and by distillation is obtained an almost colorless essential oil, which has very fully the flavor of the nutmeg. Her own settlements now furnish Great Britain with the greater portion of this spice, but some lots of Batavian also come into the market. The quantity imported may be stated as 300,000 pounds' weight, worth, in round numbers, £70,000.
Nutmegs are chiefly used as a spice; but medicinally they are stimulant and carmina tive. They possess narcotic properties, and in large doses produce stupefaction and delirium, so that they ought not to be used where affections of the brain' exist or are apprehended.
Other species of myristica besides those already named yield nutmegs sometimes used, but of very inferior quality.—The fruits of several species of lauracem also resem ble nutmegs in their aromatic and other properties; as the cotyledons of Hectanra Puchury, the Pichurim beans of commerce, and the fruit of acrodielidium ramaes, a tree of Guiana, the camara or ackawai nutmeg. The clove nutmegs of Madagascar are tho fruit of agatIwphydum aromaticam, and the Brazilian nutmegs of Cryptocarya maschata. All these belong to the order lauraccce. The Calfibash nutmeg is the fruit of monodora. myristica, of the natural order anonacem.