SPICES. 359 



cordingly, neither Bantam nor its dependencies fur- 

 nished the European government with a single 

 pound of this article.'* 



The system of raising pepper in Java is now, how- 

 ever, completely changed; there is no longer a mo- 

 nopoly, and the cultivation of pepper has for the last 

 few years been declared free. 



This plant was introduced some time back at 

 Cayenne, by General Bernard, who has with un- 

 ceasing perseverance attended to its cultivation in 

 that settlement, in the hope of making the French 

 independent of foreign supply for its produce. It is 

 said that he has already formed a plantation of more 

 than thirty thousand pepper-trees on his estate."]" 



The pepper-plant, or pepper-vine as it is some- 

 times called, is a creeping or climbing plant, with a 

 dark coloured stem, which requires support. When 

 dry it exactly resembles the grape-vine branch, having 

 the same sort of knots or joints. It is usual io plant 

 a thorny tree by the side of this plant, to which it may 

 cling. In Malabar, the chief pepper country of India, 

 the Jacca tree (Jlrlocarpus integrifolia} is made thus 

 to yield its support, because the same soil is well 

 adapted to the growth of both plants. 



The stem of the pepper-plant entwines round its 

 support to a considerable height; the flexile branches 

 then droop downwards, bearing at their extremities, 

 as well as at other parts, spikes of green flowers, 

 which are followed by the pungent berries; these 

 hang in large bunches resembling in shape those of 

 grapes, but the fruit grows distinct on little stalks 

 like currants. Each berry contains a single seed, 

 which is of globular form and brownish colour, but 

 changes to nearly a black when dried this is the 



* History of Java, vol. i, p. 131. 

 t La Guiane Franpaise for 5th January, 1825. 



