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Show 480 PiIMENTO, JAMAICA PEPPER, OR ALLSPICE. HISTORY. This beautiful tree is a native of Jamaica, and grows in all the woodlands on the north side. Soon after the trees have blossomed, the berries become fit for gathering; the fruit not being suffered to ripen, as in that state it is moist and glutinous, andtherefore difficult to cure, and when dried becomes black and tasteless. The berries are dried by spreading them on a terrace, exposed to the sun for about seven days, during which time they gradually lose their green colour, and become of a reddish-brown. The smell of this spice resembles a mixture of cinnamon, cloves, and nutmegs; its taste approaches to that of cloves, or a mixture of the three foregoing; whence it has received the nameof allspice. Neumannascertained that its flavour resides entirely in a voJatile oil heavier than water, and its pungencyin a resin ora substance soluble in alcohol and insoluble in water. From 480 parts he got 120 watery extract, 30 volatile oil, and 20 alcoholic extract; and inversely, 66 alcoholic, and 100 watery. POMEGRANATE TREE. PUNICA GRANATUM. Class XIX. Icosandria. Essent, Gen. Cuar. MEDICAL VIRTUES, Pimento is a warm aromatic stimulant, and is much used as a condiment in dressing food. As a medicine, it may be advantageously substituted for the more costly spices, especially in hospital practice. PREPARATIONS. Autspice Warer. (Aqua Pimento.) Take of allspice, bruised, half a pound, water sufficient to prevent empyreuma: Macerate for four-and-twenty hours, and draw off one gallon. Order 1. Monozynia, Calyxfive-cleft, above: Petals five: Pome many celled, many-seeded. Srec, Cuar. Leaves lanceolate; Stem arboreous, eeee DESCRIPTION, Tins is a low trée, or rather shrub. pointed, placed upon short footstalks. of a bright scarlet. Its leaves are oblong, Theflowers are large, The fruit is the size of an orange, and crowned with the calyx, HISTORY, This tree grows wild in Italy and other countries in the south of Europe. It is sometimes met with in our gardens ; but the fruit, for whichit is chiefly valued, rarely comes to perfection. MEDICAL VIRTUE. ' This fruit has the general qualities of the other sweet summer fruits, allaying heat, quenching thirst, and gently loosening the belly, The rindis a strong astringent, striking a permanent blue With sulphate of iron, and assuchis occasionally madeuseof, The flowers‘are of an elegant red colour, in appearance resem- bling a dried red rose. Their taste is bitterish and astringent. Pa are recommended in diatrhoas, dysenteries, and other cases Where astringent medicines are proper . ~ tk |