Slafisiics of Nutmegs. 141 



lands in perpetuity being pi-omulgated in the middle of that 

 year, a great part of the district was cleared, and nutmeg 

 plantations formed, and there cannot now be less than 10,000 

 trees planted out in it. A number of Chinese are at present 

 forming plantations in different parts of the island ; one 

 Chinaman has commenced planting, which he intends doing 

 to the extent of 5000 trees, and we are aware of various in- 

 dividuals who propose to form plantations of greater or less 

 extent. 



During the occupation of Bencoolen by the English, the 

 nutmeg and clove were introduced from the Moluccas, and 

 in 1819, the number of nutmeg trees were stated at 109,429. 

 Regarding their present number we have no information. 



The spice trade of tlie Molucca islands being a strict mo- 

 nopoly, very few particulars are known regarding the extent 

 of tlie cultivation, or the amount of the produce. The average 

 quantity of nutmegs annually sold by the Dutch East India 

 Company in Europe, during the last century, has been esti- 

 mated at 250,000 lb., besides about 100,000 lb. sold in India. 

 Of mace, the average quantity sold in Europe was reckoned at 

 90,000 lb. per annum, and 10,000 lb. in India. The trade, 

 although so jealously guarded by the Dutch, has never been a 

 very profitable one to them, the expenses being heavy. The 

 large quantities of spices frequently burned in Holland, on 

 which heavy charges for freight, &e., must have been incurred, 

 must have also formed a serious deduction from the gross 

 profit from those sold.* In 1814, when in possession of the 

 English, the number of nutmeg trees planted out were esti- 

 mated at 570,500, of which, 480,000 were in bearing, includ- 

 ing 65,000 mocecious trees. The produce of the Moluccas 

 has been reckoned at from 600,000 to 700,0001b. per annum, 

 of which one-half goes to Europe, and about one-fourth that 

 quantity of mace. The imports into Java, from the Eastern 

 Archipelago in 1843, consisted of nutmegs 740,033 piculs, and 

 of mace 218,000 piculs, and the exports consisted of nutmegs 

 2,133,029 piculs, and of mace 486,063 piculs. The amount 

 of nutmegs exported from Java, during the ten years ending 



• Stavorinus' Voyages. 



