VIII 



PEPPERS 307 



The Morinda was formerly made to grow with one stem, 

 but this was not found to afford sufficient spread for the vines. 

 Therefore, when that tree is used, the practice now is to break 

 off the principal stem, at a height of about 2 ft. from the ground. 

 This obliges the trees to put out lateral branches at that height. 

 When these have attained a length of about 1 ft. or 15 in., they 

 are cut off. From their end arise erect shoots, each of which 

 forms a stem, so that the vine has 4 or 5 stems to climb on 

 instead of one. 



The vines, at three years of age, begin to produce, and they 

 are reckoned to be in full bearing at five or six. They continue 

 nearly in the same state for eight years more, or till they are 

 fourteen years old. From that period they are reckoned on the 

 decline ; but the planters on Prince of Wales Island cannot yet 

 judge from experience at what rate or in how long a time they 

 decay. Some Chinese who have cultivated the plant on the 

 Malay coast say the vines have not arrived at their point of 

 greatest produce till they are fourteen years old; that from 

 this, gradually declining, they continue bearing till nearly thirty. 



The first year of bearing, or at three years old, the vines do 

 not yield more than half a catty each. But plants kept in good 

 order, when in their prime, will produce three catties. A 

 plantation of 3,000 vines at Soongey Clooan, now in its eleventh 

 year, has been let for three years at 70 piculs yearly, or at the 

 rate of 2J catties each plant. It must, therefore, produce as 

 much more as will pay the tenant for his labour and risk. They 

 are generally let for the first five years of bearing, or from three 

 to eight years old, at 160 piculs per lacsha (10,000), or at 160 

 catties for 100 vines. 



The vines yield two crops yearly. The first gathering 

 commences in December, after the heavy rains are over ; and at 

 the same time the vines have to put out new flowers. This 

 first collection may be finished in February. The flowers which 

 spread in December have ripened their seeds in April or May. 

 The second collection then begins, and ends in July. During 

 this time blossoms have expanded which are to furnish the 

 crops of next December. But with the most careful cultivators, 

 who gather only the bunches which are fully ripe, these two 

 harvests run so nearly into one another that the collection is, 

 in a manner, continued without interruption from December 

 till August ; so that there is only an interval of four months in 

 the year, which is the season of the heavy rains. 



The bunches are plucked off entire, taking care to pull only 

 those that are ripe. They are thrown into baskets, and allowed 

 to remain for a day. Then they are spread on mats, and 



