37^ VOYAGE fW SEARCH 



Thus it is that this government, attentive only 

 to its own intereit, ftifies among theft people all 

 industry, forcing them to abandon, in a man- 

 ner, every other fpecies of culture for that of clove 

 and nutmeg trees. 



The Dutch take care to limit the cultivation of 

 fplces, in order that it may not much exceed 

 the ordinary confumption. Thefe means, destruc- 

 tive of- all activity, agree in other refpeCts very 

 well with the indolence of the natives. 



A variety of farinaceous roots, and a great 

 number of trees, afford them, almoft without 

 culture, an abundant fubiiftence, as if Nature 

 had wifhed to compenfate man for the indolence 

 to which fhe feems to have condemned him un- 

 der fo burning a fky. 



Grafting would doubtlefs be a mean of irri- 

 proving the various fruits that grow in this 

 ifland ; but no one, even among the Europeans, 

 has yet fucceeded in bringing it into ufe ; they 

 have always let the {hoots dry before the circu- 

 lation of the fap was eftabliflied between it and 

 the tree in which it had been ingrafted. It 

 would however be eafy to prevent this accident, 

 by keeping up a proper humidity, till it is certain 

 that the graft is firmly united. 



The European v< getablea do not agree well 

 with the heat of the climate. 



A very 



