174 THE COLLECTION AND MANUFACTURE OF LAC IN NAGPORE. 



from Bencoolen in August, 1819. They were planted out in the Botanical 

 Gardens, on the side of Government hill, Singapore ; but, although plants 

 were then easily procurable from Pinang, as well as Bencoolen, there was no 

 great progress made, as is shown by the fact, that in 1843 there were only 

 5,317 bearing trees in the island. About that time, however, commenced 

 the move towards the country among the European residents, and spice-trees 

 were largely planted round houses ; in some instances as ornaments, but in 

 most cases for profit. Even with this great additional impetus, the 

 cultivation never reached the extent it did in Pinang. By a statement of 

 the surveyor published in the 'Journal of the Indian Archipelago' (vol. 

 iii., p. 219), it appears there were 1,190 acres in nutmeg, and 28 acres in 

 clove cultivation at Singapore in 1848, with 71,400 nutmeg- trees and 

 plants, producing 624 cwt. of nutmegs, and 156 cwt. of mace, and 5,488 

 clove-trees and plants, producing less than 6 cwt. of cloves. Since that 

 time it is doubtful whether the cultivation of spices has increased. Some 

 of the large estates near the town, where vast sums had been expended in 

 cultivation, haveAvithin the past few years been sold for building purposes ; 

 and numbers of European dwelling-houses now fill the space formerly 

 occupied by spice-trees. The nutmeg disease has been at work at Singapore 

 for the past five years. In the island of Batu Kawan 15,000 trees, pro- 

 ducing about four millions of nutmegs, have nearly all been killed. The 

 cultivation was originally introduced from the Moluccas in the beginning 

 of the century. Government deputed Dr Oxley to those islands, to procure 

 seedlings and nuts of the true stock. Upwards of 400,000 were introduced 

 into Pinang and Singapore in 1856, but the disease is still spreading to 

 such an extent that the large plantations belonging to Dr Oxley and Mr 

 Prinsep have been laid out for building purposes. 

 Singapore. 



THE COLLECTION AND MANUFACTURE OF LAC IN THE 

 NAGPORE TERRITORY* 



BY RAMASAWMT MOODLIAR. 



The koosumb-tree (Schleicliera trijuga), from which stick-lac is pro- 

 curable, is generally found located on hills ; but it flourishes also along the 

 banks and in the neighbourhood of nullahs (ravines), and in itself presents 

 the appearance of a jungle. It attains both a great height and diameter, 

 the first varying from thirty to seventy feet, and the latter from one to four 

 feet ; its branches are wide-spreading, and the wood is strong and pliable. 

 The tree blossoms in February, and the fruit is ripe in April and May ; 

 from the seeds of which an oil is procured and used for the lamp, and 



* Articles on the Natural History of the Lac-Insect, and Remarks upon the 

 Commerce in Shellac, will be found at pages 196 and 204 of vol. i. of Technologist. 



