CHAPTER FIVE.

Nutmeg. Pala. Nutmegs.

Just as it pleased the Supreme Creator, in order to keep men occupied in continuous labor and exercise, to hide glittering gems, yellow metal, and other treasures in the very bowels of the earth, in a similar way He planted two precious spices—namely Cloves and Nutmeg—in a few small islands, and hid them together as if in the furthest corner of the Eastern Ocean.

How Cloves were previously found only in the Molucca Islands and today only in the territory of Amboina has been mentioned above. Now, therefore, we shall pass to the description of the other aromatic tree, namely the Nutmeg tree original: Nux Myristica, which is as follows.

The tree of the true Nutmeg—also called the female original: femina; the cultivated, fertile variety—bears the form and size of a common pear tree, though some are even taller. Its crown is rounder than that of the Clove tree, yet it nonetheless forms a well-ordered pyramid, though more spread out than the former. It usually rises with a straight trunk, sometimes even double or triple. The branches extend mostly to the sides and do not rise as high as those of the Clove. Among these, however, a few rare branches rise up as straight as if they were poles, and these sometimes form small crowns at the top like a young tree. The bark of the tree is smooth, a dark ash-gray mixed with green, and is reddish and juicy on the inside. The tree bears few thick branches, but these are luxuriant, divided into thin, long twigs which hang down entangled and are pulled downward by the weight of the fruit.

The leaves are like those of a pear tree, but a little sharper, longer, entire, and pointed; they are dark green on top and slightly ashen underneath, which is a characteristic of all Nutmeg species—namely, that the underside of the leaf is more gray or pale than its upper side. Otherwise, they are smooth like Clove leaves, but much thinner and more even, shining a little on top but not at all underneath, and they bear a few side ribs. They are mostly placed in two rows on the branches, but alternating. When chewed in the mouth, they provide a distinctly aromatic flavor. If the tree is cut or its branch broken off, a lightly reddish and sticky juice drips out, almost like thin blood, which soon hardens and dries into a deep red; this drains the tree and stains cloth in such a way that the spots can never be washed out. The young leaves, however, are not red like Clove leaves, but are ashen and a bright green.

The first beginnings of the fruit are small whitish or yellow buds, which unfold into white little flowers like chalices with narrow mouths, divided at the top into three pointed segments, very closely resembling Lily of the Valley original: Lilium Convallium, which contain in the center a small, oblong, russet pistil that grows into the fruit. The little flowers give off no scent; they hang from curved stalks mostly bent downwards, two or three together sometimes, and these in turn arise from another stalk that takes its origin from the leaf axils. On the twigs, however, usually only a single fruit grows out, and the other little flowers fall off. One also rarely sees two or three fruits joined together, for the tree would otherwise not be able to bear them all. The growing pistil within breaks open the flowers after it has previously turned a chestnut-brown color. In the ninth month after flowering, the fruit ripens; nevertheless, it is harvested three times a year, as will be indicated later. This happens because the tree flowers and the fruits ripen successively.

The fruits hang from long stalks and by their weight bend all the twigs downward; they have the size and shape of a peach, but the fruit is pointed at the bottom like a pear, and from the stalk itself it is divided into two by a groove around its entire circumference, just as a peach is indented on one side, adorned with a soft point at the top.

Just as it pleased the Almighty Creator, to keep men constantly busy in labor and effort, to hide the glittering stones, the red metal, and other jewels in the deep entrails of the earth, in the same manner He also planted the two costly spices, namely Cloves and Nutmegs original: Noote-Musschaten, in or upon a few small islands, and hid the same together in the very furthest corner of the Eastern Ocean.

How the Cloves were previously found only in the Molucca Islands, and nowadays only in the Amboinese territory, has been said above. Now we shall proceed and step to the description of the second spice-tree, namely of the Nutmegs, which is as follows.

The tree of the true Nutmegs, which people also call females original: Wyfkens, has the shape and size of a pear tree, and some are also indeed taller. Its top is rounder than that of the Clove tree, and nonetheless it forms a well-arranged pyramidal crown, yet somewhat more spread out than the Clove tree. It shoots up for the most part with a straight trunk, and sometimes also with two and three; the branches spread themselves mostly to the sides, and do not go as straight up as those of the Clove tree. Yet from these same branches one sees now and then a few shooting up as straight as if they were poles, and which sometimes also get little crowns like a young tree. The bark of the tree is smooth and dark gray, mixed with green, red and juicy inside. The tree has few thick branches, yet these are luxuriant, divided into thin long twigs, which hang somewhat tangled through one another, and are pulled downwards by the weight of the fruit.

The leaves are like those of the pear tree, yet somewhat pointier, longer, and without notches on the edges, with a long point in front, high green on top, and somewhat grayish underneath, which is a mark of all Nutmeg species, namely that the underside must be grayer or paler than the upper side; otherwise they are also smooth, like the Clove leaves, yet much softer and more even, shining a little on top, but not at all underneath, and have also only a few little ribs on the sides. They stand mostly in two rows on the twigs, but not directly opposite one another. Chewed in the mouth, they give a clearly spice-like taste. When one cuts into the tree, or breaks a branch off it, a light red and sticky sap runs out, almost like thin blood, which immediately dries to a deep red, greatly exhausting the tree, and makes such stains in white linen that one can never wash them out. The young leaves are not red like those of the Clove trees, but whitish and light green.

The first beginnings of the fruit are small white or light yellow buds, from which come white little flowers like chalices, with a narrow mouth, divided at the top into three points, very much resembling the Lilium Convallium, in German "May-flowers" original: Mey-bloemen, or Lilies of the Valley; inside one sees a small oblong russet bud, from which the fruit grows. The little flowers have no smell; they hang on curved stalks mostly bent downwards, two and three together, and those hang again from another stalk which comes forth from the origin of the leaves on the twigs; yet mostly only one fruit comes from it, and the other little flowers fall off. One also rarely sees 2 or 3 fruits together, for the tree would otherwise not be able to bear all of them. The inner bud becoming larger causes the flower to burst, after it has first become chestnut-brown. In the ninth month after blooming the fruit becomes ripe; nevertheless it is plucked three times in a year, as will be said hereafter, which happens because the fruits bloom and ripen one after another.

The fruit hangs on long stalks, and pulls with its weight all the twigs downward; it grows to the size and shape of a peach original: Persick, yet somewhat pointed at the back like a pear, divided into two by a cleft in its length all around from the stalk, just as peaches have on one side, with a soft point in the front.