NUTMEG CULTURE IN IHE STRAITS SETTLEMENTS. 173 



and the cultivation abandoned by Government, there were only 5,100 

 nutmegs, and 1,615 clove trees, with 1,050 seedlings. These were sold 

 among the European residents, many of whom commenced to plant round 

 their houses ; but one of them, Mr D. Brown, entered into the speculation 

 on a larger scale. After many trials, and great expense, he succeeded in 

 establishing both cultivations, and after his death, his descendants reaped 

 the benefit of his enterprise, in the valuable estate named Glugore, so well 

 known to travellers. Many of the officers of Government were encouraged 

 to enter into spice cultivation, and in later years, the Chinese also engaged 

 largely in the specidation. In 1833, there were eleven spice-gardens in the 

 settlement, two only belonging to private individuals, the other nine to 

 Government officers. In the municipal assessment accounts for that year, 

 the value of the produce for assessment purposes, was estimated as 

 follows : 



Mr Brown's estate - 38,000 dollars 



Another estate ----- 1,000 „ 

 Government officers' estates - - 18,400 „ 



Total .... 57,400 



From this time the cultivation rapidly extended, as may be seen by 

 the following return of exports from Pinang, in piculs of 133^ lbs. 

 Nutmegs. Mace. Cloves. 



1840 598 159 . 



1850 2,086 653 1,292 



1860 6,421 2,094 139 



The annual returns of cloves exported show great irregularities, which 

 are to be attributed to the quantities of that spice imported from Bourbon 

 and the coast of India being included. 



Within the last few years a fatal blight has fallen on the trees. In 

 some districts whole gardens are abandoned, the trees having died off from 

 some cause as yet unaccounted for. The great numbers, however, of 

 young plantations coming into bearing have, so far, kept up the produce for 

 exportation ; but it is feared that in a few years these young trees may in 

 turn be affected. Accordingly, many owners of nutmeg plantations are 

 turning their attention to the culture of cocoa-nuts and betel-nuts, planting 

 these palms wherever the nutmeg-trees have perished. An effort is also 

 being made to cultivate Cinchona. The ' Pinang Argus' asks why Tea shoidd 

 not flourish upon the hills, and evidently thinks it worth while that some 

 experiment should be made for turning them to some profitable account. 

 The same paper also points out that cotton might be cultivated with 

 advantage in Pinang. By returns for which I am indebted to the courtesy 

 of the Surveyor-General, it appears that there are now in Pinang 13,153 

 acres; in Province "Wellesley, 1,349 acres: total, 14,502 in spice culti- 

 vation, though of this quantity much has been abandoned, and some part 

 is not yet in bearing. 



Sir Stamford Raffles had a supply of nutmeg- and clove-plants sent 



