268 SPICES 



CHAP. 



vine. Fish manure, that is the waste of the nets, small 

 fish or broken bits and other refuse obtained in the 

 fish-drying industry, is often used as a substitute. 



In Bombay the manure is made of leaves and twigs 

 gathered during the wet season and used as litter in 

 the cattle and buffalo byres. This is removed with the 

 dung and urine of the cattle to pits every day or every 

 second day, and after about a year's decay is given 

 to the vines in March or April. The pepper there is 

 usually grown on betel-nut palms, and this manuring 

 benefits both the palm and vine. A basket load is 

 thrown in a circle around the plants, the baskets being 

 3 ft. round and 15 to 18 ft. deep. 



During the first year while the plant is growing, 

 besides manuring, the cultivator occupies his time in 

 weeding the ground, attending to the drains, and spray- 

 ing to kill caterpillars and other pests. A good deal of 

 judicious pruning is often required to prevent the 

 plant from growing too bushy at the top, and to induce 

 it to branch out below so as to cover the post. By the 

 time it has reached the top of the post it will have 

 been pruned at least three times. All suckers and 

 useless shoots are removed during this time. 



The vine will reach the top of the post in from three 

 and a half to four years, and may then be considered 

 to be full grown. 



A planter who contributes an article on pepper 

 planting to the Singapore Free Press, in 1888, advises 

 that no crop should be taken till it has reached the top 

 of the post, the flower spikes being removed as they 

 appear. The Chinese commence gathering the crop in 

 two or two and a half years, but allow it to bear 

 gradually upwards from the base. At this age from 

 1 to 1^ catties of white pepper (4 to 6 catties of green 

 pepper) are produced by the vine, and this is doubled 

 when at three and a half years the vine has reached the 

 top of its post and is full grown. 



Liquid cattle manure can be used if procurable, and 

 gives very good results. A planter in the Singapore 



