TEAK-TREE. 301 



be made sensible of the advantage they may expect to derive from 

 large plantations thereof. 



" The growth of the tree is rapid, and at all ages the wood 

 (from various experiments) appears excellent. Some trees in the 

 Honourable Company's Botanic Garden, brought from the Rajah- 

 mundry Circar, in 1787, were, in 1804, from three to upwards of 

 four feet in girth, at three and a half feet above ground, and high 

 in proportion. These plants were about twelve months old when 

 sent from the coast, so that their present age is about seventeen 

 years. A tree promising so much advantage, in so short a space, 

 compared to what the oak requires in England to become service- 

 able in the marine yard, makes it highly worthy of every attention 

 and encouragement. A few observations on rearing the plants 

 from the seed seem necessary, as I have often known seeds from 

 the same tree succeed with one person, and totally fail with 

 another. 



u The nut in which the seeds are lodged is exceeding hard, con- 

 tains four cells, and in each is lodged a single small seed. It has 

 been ascertained, that they perfectly retain their vegetating power 

 in the growth, even as far as eighteen months; however, it is 

 advisable to sow them about the beginning of the first periodical 

 rains, or north-westers, after they are taken ripe from the tree in 

 October. If sown about this period, or rather before than after, 

 in well-shaded beds, about an inch asunder, and covered with 

 about a quarter of an inch of earth, with a little rotten straw or 

 grass spread over the earth, to keep the beds in an uniform state 

 of humidity, by gentle waterings, should the weather prove dry ; 

 most of the nuts will be found to produce from one to four plants, 

 in from four to eight weeks. However, it sometimes happens, that 

 many will remain in the ground until the commencement of the 

 second rains, nay even of the third; however this is rare, yet it 

 will be advisable to sow the seed on a spot that can be spared, at 

 least until the rains of the second season are well advanced ; by 

 not attending to this circumstance, many have thought the seed 

 bad, consequently caused the ground to be dug up for other pur- 

 poses. 



" The plants, when they first make their appearance, are very- 

 small, scarce so large as a cabbage plant when it first springs from 

 the earth ; their growth is, however, rapid. When they are about 



