408 



SPICES AlfD rHAGRAKT WOODS, 



view presents so many advantages, "botli in securing the finest 

 quality of nut and the certainty of the sex, has still to be tried in 

 this cultivation. Some three years ago (continues Dr. 0x1 ey), I 

 succeeded in grafting several plants by approach ; these are not 

 sufficiently old for me to decide whether it be desirable or not^ 

 for although the plants are looking well and growing, they as yet 

 have thrown out their branches in a straggling irregular manner, 

 having no leaders, and consequently they cannot extend their 

 branches in the regular verticles necessary for the perfect forma- 

 tion of the tree, without which they must ever be small and 

 stunted, and consequently incapable of yielding any quantity of 

 produce. The grafts have succeeded so far as stock and scion 

 becoming one, and in time a perpendicular shoot from the wood 

 may appear. If after that it should increase in size and strength, 

 so as to form a tree of full dimensions, the advantage gained 

 would be worth any trouble, the quality of some nuts being so far 

 above that of others, it -would make a difference beyond present 

 calculation ; in short, 1,000 such picked trees at the present 

 prices would yield som.ething equivalent to £-1,000 a year, for £4 

 per tree would be a low estimate for such plants. If this ever 

 does occur, it will change the aspect ot cultivation altogether, and 

 I see no good reason why it should not, except that those possessiug 

 trees of the quality alluded to, would not very willingly permit 

 others to graft from them, so it is only the already successful 

 planter who can try the experiment properly. 



An acre of land contains on an average 92 trees, and it is cal- 

 culated an outlay of 300 dollars is required upon every acre to 

 bring the tree to maturity ; but as not more than one-half of the 

 trees generally turn out females, and as many others are destroyed 

 by accident and diseases to which this plant is very liable, it makes 

 the cost of each tree, by the time it yields fruit, about eight 

 dollars. The nutmeg tree begins to bear when about eight years 

 old, but it gives no return for several years longer ; and there- 

 fore to the expense of cultivation must be added the interest of 

 the capital sunk. The plant being indigenous in the Moluccas, the 

 expense of cultivation there is greatly less, and this consequently 

 forms a strong ground of claim to the British planter for protec- 

 tive duties to their spices from the British Government. 



The planter having his tree arrived at the agreeable point of 

 producing, has but slight trouble in preparing his produce for 

 market. As the fruit is brought in by the gatherers, the mace is 

 carefully removed, pressed together and flattened on a board, ex- 

 posed to the sun for three or four days, it is then dry enough to be 

 put by in the spice-house until required for exportation, when it 

 is to be screwed into boxes, and becomes the mace of commerce. 

 The average proportion of mace yielded in Singapore is one pound 

 for every 433 nuts. 



The nutmeg itself requires more care in its curing, it being 

 necessary to have it well and carefully dried ere the outer black 

 shell be broken. Eor this purpose the usual practice is to subject 



