62 PLANTS OF PRINCE OF WALES ISLAND. 



Corol : two lipped, three and two cleft. Anthers : double ; two 

 small barren stamens between the fertile ones. It agrees with 

 the Erantkemum diantherum of Dr. Roxburgh in everything 

 except the three fold leaves which may be an accidental luxuri- 

 ancy. 



JUSTICTA. 



1. J. picta, Tsjude-maram. Hort. Mai. 6, t. 60. Folium brac- 



teatum, Rumph. 4, p. 73, t. 30. {Graptophyllum hortense 

 Nees.). 

 Cultivated ; a variety has the leaves of dark brown, not 

 variegated. 



2. 7. involucrata, Roxb. Cultivated in a Garden. 



TRIGYNIA. 



PlPER. 



1. P. nigrum, Black pepper. 



Leaves ovate, acuminate, 5 to 7 nerved, smooth ; petioles 

 short. Melago codi. Hort. Mai. 7, p. 23, t. 12. Marsden's 

 Sumatra p. 105. Malay : Ladda. 



This plant has been so fully described, that I have noth- 

 ing to add on that head. But as it is the most important 

 article of produce on Prince of Wales's Island, the manner of 

 cultivation pursued there merits a particular detail. 



It is propagated by cutting, or suckers. These are gener- 

 ally planted at a distance of about 7 J feet ; that is 1,000 plants 

 in an Oorlong, which is a measure of 80 yards square, nearly 

 equal to li acre. But some experienced cultivators think 

 that the distance should be greater ; perhaps nine feet ; as the 

 roots would be better nourished and the produce more abun- 

 dant. 



When a plantation is to be commenced, the large timber 

 is cut down by Malays, at the rate of five dollars per Oorlong. 

 The remaining labour is performed by Chinese, who dig out 

 the roots, burn them and the trunks, pulverise and level the 



Jour. Straits Branch 



