THE PEPPER VINES. 181 



large, and of fine quality.* Some had even 

 attained maturity, having changed from a dark- 

 green to a vivid red. From the latter, the 

 berry being in a ripe state, the white pepper is 

 made ; some of very excellent quality was shown 

 us by a Chinese planter who had prepared it. 



Instead of the usual and tedious process of 

 drying the pepper in the sun after it has been 

 gathered, I observed the planters, after collect- 

 ing a large quantity together, steam it ; by 

 which, the drying process is expedited, without, 

 it is said, the pepper losing any of its flavour by 

 the operation. At the various plantations I 

 visited, this process was found most generally 

 adopted, although a small quantity was in a 

 few instances laid out upon mats in the sun to 

 dry. The steaming process is almost invariably 

 adopted when the immediate demand for the 

 article is very great, as it was at this time, pep- 

 per being in considerable demand at Singapore, 

 for the English market. It was stated to me, 



'< There are some, but very few pepper plantations upon 

 the island, without a Gambir boiling-house being near them ; 

 but although those without the benefit of having the boiled 

 Gambir-leaves strewed over the soil, look well, still the 

 planters say, that the pepper produced by the vines, is 

 neither prolific, nor of so fine a quality. 



