20 SPICES 



CHAP. 



Agriculture, like everything else, has no code of 

 rules, and it is impossible to lay down strict laws for 

 every local condition. A successful planter is one 

 who is always studying and learning, often inventing 

 simple little improvements which save cost and time 

 or increase the value of his product. 



ESTIMATES 



In a book written for use in all parts of the 

 world it is difficult to give estimates of cost and profit 

 which can be strictly depended upon for all countries. 

 Expenses vary in different places and at different times. 

 It is only possible to give a general idea as to costs 

 subject to local conditions. The cost of land, the 

 expensiveness of labour vary in different places, and 

 either may rise in countries undergoing development. 

 A sample of expenses likely to be incurred, say, in 

 opening up an estate of nutmeg trees, from high forest, 

 is here given, modified from H. C. Belfield's Handbook 

 of the Federated Malay States. 



ESTIMATES FOE PLANTING 250 ACRES 

 First Year 



Felling and clearing 250 acres at 13 dollars an 



acre, felling 9 dollars, clearing 4 dollars . $3,250 



Lining at 150 trees to the acre at 1'50 per acre . 375 



Holing and rilling 250 acres . 750 



Planting at 1 dollar an acre . . . 250 



Supplying at 50 cents . . . . . 125 



Nurseries ........ 300 



Seed 190 



Roads and drains at 12 dollars an acre . . 3,000 

 Weeding for six months at 1 dollar per acre per 



month 1,800 



Superintendent's salary at 300 dollars a month . 3,600 



Buildings, Superintendent's house . 1,500 



Conductor's house . 250 



Coolie lines, say . . . . . . 1,300 



Tools 500 



Contingencies, medicines, etc. . . 1,750 



Total . $15,945 



