196 



l^ARMERS" REGISTER. 



[No. 4 



vears. The nutmeg tree delights in a dannp soil, 

 overgrown with weeds, and even shaded wilh 

 large' trees, prjv'ded it be not stifled with them. 

 Under the shelter of the canmnrhim commune (?) 

 it thrives very well, and iiears 'he cold of the tops 

 of the mountains. The Irnit dirTer in qualify ac- 

 cording to the age of (he tree, the soil, and the 

 method of culture. The round nutmeg is pre- 

 ferred to that which is ohionir, though they are 

 specifically the same. It ought to be li-esh, moist, 

 heavy, of a good scent, and an agreeable, thougli 

 bitter riavor, and it should yield an oily juice when 

 pricked. The islands are divided into a number of 

 plantations, under the management of a mixed 

 race of Europeans and Indians. The Dutch made 

 use ot" many illiberal means to secure to them- 

 selves the exclusive possession of these valuable 

 productions ; many trees they destroyed, reserving 

 only sufficient to produce a certain quantity of nut- 

 megs; but finding the climate of Banda very 

 unhealthy, and that a great number of their ser- 

 vants telf victims to it, they attempted to transfer 

 the culture of this spice to Amboyna; these ex- 

 peri nienffc have, however, proved unsuccessful. 



In 1774, the English navigalor, Forrest, found 

 in a small island near New Guinea, called Ma- 

 nasvvary, a nutmeg tree, the fruit of which was 

 of an oblong shape, but well flavored. This en- 

 terprising man plucked up about a hundred stems 

 of the tree, and planted them in 1776, on the 

 island of Bunwoof, which had just been ceded to 

 him lor the East India Company, by the Sultan 

 of Mindanao. Bunvvoot is situated lo the north 

 fiast of Borneo, and is a healthy spot, covered with 

 beautiful trees. 



Libilliadiere also found the nutmeg tree upon the 

 little isI;iM(l ofCocos, near the northern extremity 

 of New Ireland. The fruit, when he saw it. was 

 unripe, and of an oblong Ibrm. The island is co- 

 vered with evergreen trees, among which the 

 Barringfoiiia speciosa is conspicuous. It extends 

 its branches laden \v\\h flowers horizontally a great 

 way over the sea.* There are few cocoa-nut 

 frees, but raan}^ figs of different kinds. Fruits ol 

 eeveral species of the screw pine, of the Barring- 

 tnnia, and of the Ilerltiera, which trees stretched 

 their branches and even their trunks, in a very re- 

 markable manner over the sea. It is thus, no 

 doubt, that the seeds of plants are conveyed from 

 one island to another without the assistance of man. 

 Where there are no rills to carry fruits to the sea, 

 the want of moisture prompts these trees to bend 

 over the ocean, and obtain from its evaporation 

 the nourishment they require. 



The principal of the Molucca islands are Am- 

 boyna, noted for the cultivation of the clove-tree; 

 to which may be added Ceram, Ternate, Tidore, 

 and Batchean. Ceram is a large island to the 

 north of Amboyna. Several chains of mountains 

 run parallel to each other in a direction from eas- 

 to west, and separated by fertile vallies contain- 

 ing luxuriant vegetation. In ancient times the 

 peninsula of Hoewamocliel produced large quanti- 

 ties of nutmegs, but the trees were extirpated by 

 the Dutch about the year 1697. At present it i"-.- 

 covered with satro trees (cycas circlnales.) The 

 wood usually called Amboyna, and the Salmoni, 

 both of which are exported fi-oni Amboyna for 



*Tfiis circumstance is remarked by every voyager 

 passing througfi among these islrinils. 



the purposes of ornamental cabinet work, are 

 mostly the productions of Ceram. Along the 

 shores of this island, uncommonly fine shells are 

 found. 



Ternati is only about twenty-f(:>ur miles in cir- 

 cumference. Larger nutmeirs are found in its 

 woods than any procured at Banda: but the cul- 

 ture of them is discontinued. 



Tidore, the next of these islands, lies to the south 

 of Ternate, and, like that island, is mountainous, 

 and well watered by streams from peaks which are 

 generally capped with clouds. In 1521, Juan Car- 

 vallo, one of the surviving companions of Matrel- 

 lan, arrived at Tidore, where he was well receiv- 

 ed, and allowed to load two ships with spices for 

 Spain. The Portuguese and Spaniards after this 

 traded to the island. In 1579, Drake arrived there 

 and began to gather spices without having per- 

 mission from the king, who was at first g-reatly 

 incensed, but was afterwards appeased by pre- 

 sents. The inhabitants of all these islands are 

 Malays. 



The Chinese landing upon the Moluccas were 

 the fi.'-st discoverers of the clove and nutmeg. 

 These new acquisitions were soon admired all 

 over India, whence they were conveyed to Persia 

 and Europe. The Arabians repaired to the islands 

 but were driven out by the Portuguese, Avho, in 

 their turn, yielded to the Dutch in the year 1621. 

 Alter being alternately in the possession of their 

 conquerors and the English, they were finally ta- 

 ken possession of by the latter in 1810. I have 

 named those of the Moluccas only which are noted 

 (or their spices. Amonir the numerous small 

 islands comprehended under the same govern- 

 ment, are several producing various articles of ex- 

 portation. 



When we reflect upon such productions of na- 

 ture as those of which I am treating, we must ad- 

 mire the beneficence of the Almighty, in having 

 provided us with the means of varying, according 

 to our particular taste, the flavor of the food ne- 

 cessary to our sustenance: how much more grate- 

 ful ought we to be for those higher blessings of 

 intelligence and industry, without which the trea- 

 sures of the east would have remained confined to 

 the distant spots where they grow. We import 

 from these and other lands, luxuries, which by 

 constant use almost become necessaries to us: we 

 ought at least to bestow in return, the blessings 

 and virtues of civilization. Many Europeans 

 have and are attempting this, but it is to be feared 

 that, until by some great revolution in the moral 

 world, the degrading traffic in slaves be entirely 

 abolished, civilization will make but slow progress 

 in the three quarters of the world thus disgraced. 

 We are assured that the "knowledge of the Lord 

 shall cover the earth as the waters cover the sea," 

 and although we shall not see that period, we must 

 trust that it will arrive; and that then the gentle 

 Hindoo and the savage Malay, shall be united in 

 the bonds of Christian peace and brotherly love. — 

 Magazine of Domestic Economy. 



From the Arcana of Science and Art, for 1836. 

 EFFECT OF GASES ON VEGETATION. 



M. Macaire introduced some plants of Eu- 

 phorbia, Mercuriidis, Sonecio. Sonchus, &c. into 

 vessels along wilh chloride of lime in the morning. 

 When evening arrived the plants had not sufiered, ' 



