NUTMEGS AND MACE. 



487 



wliich, although not so valuable as the nutmeg, yield a fair return for 

 the cai^ital and labour expended. The Chinese have, however, lately 

 commenced to replant the nutmeg tree, and with every prospect of 

 success. 



In 1867,485,123 cwts. of nutmegs valued at 50,559Z., and 5416 cwts. 

 of mace, valued at 7354/., were shipped from the Straits Settlements. 



Oiu" imports of unenumerated spices from Singapore in the last five 

 years (exclusive of pepper) are stated below ; Singapore is, however, 

 the entrepot of the Eastern Archipelago, and receives large quantities 

 from Sumatra and Borneo : 





Year. 



Quantity. 



Value. 









lbs. 



£ 







1871 



640,544 



45,821 







1872 



1,282,066 



112,242 







1873 



552,719 



48,867 







1874 



336,882 



45,327 







1875 



432,992 



54,656 





From the west coast of Sumatra there was shipped in 1872, 1953 

 IDiculs of nutmegs, and 403 piculs of mace ; in 1873, 2237 j^iculs of 

 nutmegs and 568 of mace. In 1874, from the southern division of 

 Padang alone, 284 piculs of nutmegs and 28 of mace; 130 piculs 

 of the nutmegs were sent to Pinang. 



The cultivation of nutmegs is much in favour in J amaica just now, 

 and 2000 plants are under propagation in the Government Botanic 

 Garden for distribution. A fine nutmeg tree there is stated to have 

 had upwards of 4000 unusually large fruit upon it. The value, cal- 

 culating ninety nuts to the pound, would be 44 lbs., worth at least 3s., 

 or in all 61 Us. 



The Island Botanist reports as follows on the culture of the nut- 

 meg:— 



" This plant, I consider, is the most generally prized, as it is un- 

 doubtedly the most frequently applied for of all that are imder 

 cultivation. Notwithstanding this, and that the plant has been intro- 

 duced into this island some forty or fifty years, and has yielded 

 thousands of fruits annually during the greater part of that time, 

 there are, as nearly as I am enabled to judge, not more than probably 

 fifty bearing trees in the whole island; and this, too, in a country 

 where the tree yields fruit of the finest quality, and in the utmost 

 profusion. The great majority of the bearing trees are in the imme- 

 diate vicinity of Bath. In my recent tour throughout a great part of 

 the island I found that nutmegs were unknown to cultivation, although 

 large tracts through which I passed are admirably adapted for their 

 growth. I consider that the cultivation of this tree deserves the 

 utmost encouragement, especially amongst the peasantry, as I am 

 strongly inclined to think that as a remunerative industry even coff'ee 

 would find in it a very formidable rival. 



" The nutmeg trees at Castleton are now beginning to bear, and 

 about 150 plants have been recently planted, and this number will 



