THE GEOGRAPHY OF PLANTS. 



again in Ezek. xxvii. 19, as one of the arti- 

 cles which were prominent in the markets of 

 Tyre. 



Pepper is another important production of 

 the Spice Islands ; though it has been intro- 

 duced there, and is a native of the East Indies 

 and Malabar. It can be cultivated in tropical 

 countries only, and even there its limits are 

 very narrow, extending but to a few degrees 

 on either side of the equator. Its cultivation 

 is thus managed : Ground, covered by wood, is 

 chosen, and cleared by felling, burning, etc., 

 and then divided into beds, each six feet 

 square, in each of which is fixed a support, on 

 which the plant may climb. This is either a 

 pole, or a slender living tree ; the latter is pre- 

 ferred when it can be had. The pepper is 

 planted by slips, two plants being set by each 

 pole ; in three years, they gain the height of 

 from eight to twelve feet, and begin to bear fruit. 

 About this time, when the pepper has become 

 ripe, the \vKole plant is cut down to the length 

 of three feet,* carefully separated from the sup- 

 port, arnl laid horizontally in a circle on the 

 ground, so that the ends again take root. The 

 plant now shoots out afresh, and bears every 

 year a large quantity of fruit ; without this 

 treatment it would chiefly have thrown out 

 leaves. The berries are at first green, but, 

 when ripe, are a beautiful red.' Whenever u 

 part of the berries are ripe, the whole are 

 taken off, and spread on mats or on the ground, 

 where they become dry, 01 a black colour and 



