THE BETEL-NUT OF COMMERCE. 



yet it is a mistake to suppose that the mere chewing of the nut gives to 

 the mouth an offensive appearance ; unless the other ingredients are added, 

 the saliva hardly changes its natural colour. Betel-nuts contain a large 

 quantity of tannin, which has caused them to be employed in some parts of 

 India for dyeing cotton-cloths. 



The exact country of the betel-nut is unknown, but is supposed to be 

 the Sunda Islands ; the tree, from time immemorial, has been extensively 

 cultivated in all parts of the East Indies, so that we are unable to trace it 

 back to the spot whence it originally may be supposed to have come. It 

 grows freely in all the eastern islands, from Sumatra to the Philippines, 

 and seems to have as many distinct names as there are languages. Thus, 

 in Malay it is called Pinang (giving its name to the island in the Straits) ; 

 in Jamaica, Jambi; in Bali, Banda; in Bugis, Rapo ; and in Tagala and 

 Bisaya, Bongo ; in Achin, Penu ; in Sanscrit, Goorvaka ; in Bengalee, Gooa ; 

 in Arabic, Foolful; in Persian and Hindustani, Soopara ; and in Telingee, 

 Poka ChiUoo. Judging by this, the probability is that the tree is indigeneous 

 in each country. 



In the fresh or green state, the betel-nut is an object of general domestic 

 consumption ; and in the dry state, of large exportation to China and India. 

 Fifteen tons of these nuts were shipped from Singapore in 1858 to the 

 single port of Ningpo. The most productive countries in this article are 

 Ceylon and the northern and southern coasts of Sumatra, towards its 

 western extremity. 



The quantity of Areca nuts exported from Ceylon in ten years has been 

 as follows : 



Quantity. Value. 



1850 66,343 cwts. £42,948 



1851 78,037 54,806 



1852 71,793 52,230 



1853 59,465 46,448 



1854 46,208 32,173 



1855 47,329 42,192 



1856 66,428 50,200 



1857 47,594 45,438 



1858 69,088 51,816 



1859 66,630 49,973 



With a tolerably attentive culture, and in a suitable soil, the betel palm 

 bears fruit in the fifth or sixth year, and lives for about twenty-five years. 

 It flowers during the greater part of the year. In Ceylon, this palm is 

 cultivated chiefly in the Western and Kandian provinces. It bears twice 

 in the year, each tree, on an average, producing 300 nuts. Thus, prolific 

 and easily reared, the produce is cheap. The price they realise to the grower 

 is about 2s. the hundredweight. The wood is used for reepers, arches, and 

 temporary buildings. 



In his interesting work on the narcotics ('The Seven Sisters of Sleep'), 

 Mr. M. C. Cooke lias collected some useful details respecting the betel- 



