298 JOURNAL OP THE TRINIDAD 



Trees grown from seed, begin to bear about the sixth year, and 

 are in full bearing about the tenth year, when they are about 

 20 feet high. In good soil, 20-35 lbs. per tree is considered a 

 good average yield, and it includes the fact that (in Tonquin) 

 these trees bear a " bumper crop " every second year. 



In Southern China, according to a Chinese, — Dr. Sang Lo, 

 whom I met within India in 1879, — itis considered a waste of time 

 to grow this plant from seed, and, as plants from layers or cuttings 

 strike freely, and make trees nearly as large as those grown from 

 seed, while they begin to bear well about the third year. He said 

 that in China they are heavily manured, and require a free soil 

 (not clayey), and a well drained site. The Chinese neglect its 

 cultivation in favour of gambir, tfcc., which thrive with less cultiva- 

 tion. 



It is stated that so long ago as Queen Elizabeth's reign, Sir 

 Thomas Cavendish brought her from the Philippine Islands 

 some dried branches bearing capsules and seeds of this spice. 

 And in Japan according to Thurnberg (where one or more species 

 of it grow) the plant has almost a sacred character. The people 

 " wear aromatic garlands of its foliage, which they offer in their 

 " temples, and on the tombs of their departed friends. They also 

 " burn the powder bark as incense. This bark when very finely 

 " powdered, is likewise used in a kind of time-piece, which denotes 

 " to the watchmen of the night the regular intervals as they 

 "elapse. For this purpose the powder is strewn on some ashes, 

 " in small winding grooves, in a box secured from the weather. 

 " This powder being lighted at one end, burns slowly and 

 " regularly, and when it arrives at certain marked stages, the 

 " watchmen strike a bell, being able by means of this indicator 

 " to proclaim with accuracy the stated period." 



During my residence in Tobago, the value of this spice and 

 the probability of its easy acclimatization there, induced me to 

 take considerable trouble on two different occasions, to obtain 

 parcels of the seed, it being nearly impossible for me to have 

 obtained living plants, from China. But I am sorry to say, that 

 the seeds were packed in earth, and I did not succeed on either 

 occasion in getting a single one to germinate. No doubt, however, 

 it would be a matter of no very great difficulty for the Botanic 

 Gardens to procure a wardian case or two with an ample supply 

 both of seedlings and plants raised from cuttings : The 

 Botanical Station at Hong-Kong, if not the Singapore Garden, 

 would be likely places to get them from. 



Among the things which, during a residence of nearly 

 twenty years in the Eastern and Western tropics, have been 

 forced upom my observation, is the fact that one of the greatest 

 weaknesses of the tropical planter is his custom of " putting all 



