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Nutmeg

Nutmegs are the seed of a small tree belonging to the natural order Myristicaceoe. In Great Britain about 2,000 pounds are consumed annually. Pereira mentions that to prevent the attacks of an insect known as the nutmeg insect the nuts are frequently limed. For the English market, however, the brown or unlimed nutmegs are preferred. "The Dutch lime them by dipping them into a thick mixture of lime and water; but this process is considered to injure their flavour. Others lime them by rubbing them with recently-prepared well-sifted lime. This process is sometimes practised in London."