284 SPICES 



CHAP. 



ripe at the same time, and one never sees a spike with 

 all the fruits red. There are often many flowers un- 

 fertilised, indeed it would be impossible for every flower 

 on a spike to produce a fully developed fruit ; and there 

 are losses from imperfect fertilisation, attacks of insects, 

 and other such causes. A full spike of ordinary length 

 can carry fifty fruits, but a large proportion of spikes 

 are rarely fully filled. 



In an article in the Koffij Gids, 1900, p. 966, a 

 writer says that the natives of East Java class the fruit- 

 spikes of pepper as follows : 



1. Meritjoh krentil a bunch furnished well with large 

 peppercorns. 



2. Meritjoh ranti spikes short, and fruit of unequal size. 



3. Meritjoh lawee (lawi) a long bunch with distant, more 

 scanty fruits, ripening at different times. 



The first of these is nearest to the ideal pepper. 



COST OF CULTIVATION 



Dobree (Ceylon Observer, February 1883) gives an 

 estimate of cost of cultivation for the first three years 

 in Ceylon, which, of course, is to a certain extent 

 dependent on variations in cost of land, labour, etc. , but 

 which gives a fair idea of the approximate cost. 



FIRST YEAR (per acre) 



Rupees. 



Superintendence ... .10 



Felling 



Nurseries .... 



Weeding, 8 months 



Lining .... 



Holing .... 



Filling in . 



Drains and roads. 



Planting and shading . 



Planting supports 



Tools, building contingencies 



8 

 10 



8 



1-50 



9 



9 

 12 



6 



2 

 20 



Rs.95-50 



