BERTHA'S VISIT. 



Dec. 1st. COLONEL TR AVERS, who every day 

 tells us something curious that he has seen in 

 his travels, has been describing the cultivation of 

 the pepper vine in the East Indies. In July, at 

 the beginning of the rainy season, from eight 

 to twelve shoots are planted round some tree 

 chosen for their support; as they grow up they 

 must be tied to its stem, and in dry or hot 

 weather they are watered. They begin to bear in 

 six years; in ten, they are in full perfection, and 

 continue so for twenty years more, when they die. 

 When the fruit is intended for black pepper, it is 

 not allowed to ripen, but collected while green. 

 As soon as the berries become hard and firm, 

 which happens between the middle of December 

 and the middle of January, they are pinched off 

 by the fingers, placed on a mat, and rubbed by 

 the hands or feet till the seeds, several of which 

 are contained in each berry, are separated. 

 These seeds are then spread on mats ; and at night 



VOL. II, B 



M 3464 



