386 REMARKS ON THE SPECIES OP PEEPER, 



in the first year, because the labour is then greatest ; 

 but about one-fourth of the whole is generally reserved, 

 till the contract is completed, and the plantation deli- 

 vered over. This does not include the price of the 

 plants, or cuttings, which are furnished by the pro- 

 prietor of the plantation. 



The vine is first made to climb on a pole. At the 

 end of ten or twelve months, it is detached from the 

 pole, to undergo the process called laying down. A 

 circular hole, about eighteen inches in diamerer, is dug 

 at one side of the plant. At the bottom of this the 

 plant is carried round in a circle, and the end of it is 

 brought to the tree which is in future to form its sup* 



fjorl. The depth of the hole, in which the vines are 

 aid down, varies, according to the situation and nature 

 of the soil ; and much judgement, to be acquired by 

 practice, is requisite, to adapt it to these circum- 

 stances. In high and dry situations, the depth must 

 be considerably greater than in those which are low and 

 moist. Too little depth in the former would expose the 

 roots to be parched in dry seasons; and too much in 

 the latter would occasion them to rot, from excess of 

 moisture. 



The trees used for supporting the pepper vines on 

 Prince of Wales's Island are the Morinda Citrifolia 

 (ManhUo) and the Erythr'ma Corallo dendron (Dadap), 

 The Chinese planters alledge, that the pepper sup- 

 ported by the Erythr'ma thrives better, nnd lasts longer 

 than that supported by the Mor'mda. One instance I 

 heard quoted in proof of this assertion, was a planta- 

 tion which had been long neglected, and overgrown 

 with weeds. When it came to be examined, the 

 vines which had grown on the Mor'mda were all dead ; 

 while those on the Erythr'ma were still strong and 

 productive. The reason assigned by the planters. 



