297 



Cultivation. 



Propagation i.s effected by means of seeds which are sown in 

 a part of the plantation set aside as a nurserv. Transplanting is 

 carried out after about 2 years, the intervening time being used to 

 prepare the ground and grow other crops. In this first trans- 

 planting the plants are placed 12 to lo feet apart and are inter- 

 planted with shade plants, bananas often being used for this pur- 

 pose. This set of plants fruit about the tenth or twelfth year. 

 Aibout this time the intervening shade plants are removed altogether 

 and the second traiLsplanting takes place, the plants of the first set 

 now assuming the double role of production and shade. The second 

 set do not fruit for al)out 20 years. There is no third trans- 

 planting except to fill in gaps caused by failures. It will thus be 

 seen that the plants are eventually about 6 or 7 feet apart each 

 way. .Oftentimes otlier plants are used to fill in the gaps such as 

 coconuts and fruit trees so that eventually the plantation takes on 

 a rather jungle-like a])pearance. It may also be mentioned that 

 some plantations are purposely planted, lip with plants other than 

 the "betel nut." Very often too the "betel leaf" is interplanted 

 with the palm and uses the palm stems as supports. The type of 

 soil does not very much matter i)rovided the atmospheric conditions 

 are suitable and that ])lenty of manure is given to the plants. This 

 latter has a considerable effect on the yield of nuts and in some 

 places manuring takes place at least every two years. A moist soil 

 is preferred though it is not essential so long as there is a good 

 rainfall. , , 



The most extensive cultivation is carried out in India where 

 there are many plantations ranging in size from 1 acre to 100 

 acres. Methods of planting up vary considerably but all follow 

 much the same lines. A certain amount of plantation work has 

 been carried out in Malaya as will be gathered from statistics 

 quoted later. Almost every native compound has its few palms 

 to ensure a supply of ntits. Considerable quantities of nuts have 

 been exported in past .rears but with, the advent of rubber this in- 

 dustry has waned. 



Gener-vl Remarks. 



The length of time which ex-pi res before a plantation bears 

 fruit is rather surj^rising as generally speaking it takes from 20 

 to 30 years to bring all the trees into bearing. The average fruit- 

 ing life of a plant is from 30 to 60 years bringing its age up to 

 50 to 90 years and even more occasionally. This marks the close 

 of its productiveness and though it will live on many 3'ears after 

 it is unproductive and of no use to the grower. It will be seen that 

 this palm is long-lived and this may have influenced its survival in 

 cultivation for so many centuries. 



The following extracts have been taken from the Blue Book of 

 the Straits Settlements and prove fairly oonelusively that the 

 acreage in the S. S. under "betel nut" is considerably less than 

 it used to be. 



