410 



SPICES A-ND ¥EAGRAI5"T WOODS. 



his trees are brought up to the age of fifteen years. If a plantation 

 be attended to from the commencement after the manner I have 

 endeavoured to explain, and the trees be in a good locality, the 

 planter will undoubtedly obtain an average of 10 lbs, of spice from 

 each tree from the fifteenth year ; this, at an average price of 

 2s. 6d. per lb., is 25s. per annum. He can have about seventy such 

 trees in an acre, so that there is scarcely any better or more 

 remunerative cultivation when once established. But the race is a 

 long one, the chances of life, and a high rate of interest in the 

 country, make it one of no ordinary risk, and it is one that holds 

 out no prospect of any return in less than ten years. 



A person commencing and stopping short of the bearing point, 

 either by death or want of funds, will sufier almost total loss, for 

 the value of such a property brought into a market where there 

 are no buyers must be purely nominal. Again, if the property has 

 arrived at the paying point, almost any person of common honesty 

 can take charge of and carry it on, for the trees after twelve years 

 are remarkably hardy, and bear a deal of ill treatment and neglect ; 

 not that I would recommend any person to try the experiment. 

 But it is some consolation for the proprietor to know that stupidity 

 will not ruin him, and that even at the distance of thousands of 

 miles he can give such directions, as, if attended to, will keep his 

 estate in a flourishing and fruitful state. 



The total number of nutmeg trees in Singapore in 1848 was 

 55,925, of which 14,914 only were in bearing. The produce of 

 that year was 4,085,361 nutmegs, or 33,600 lbs. in weight. The 

 greater number of the trees, it will be perceived, have not come 

 into full bearing, but the produce is increasing rapidly, and in 

 1849 it amounted to fully 66,670 lbs. 



Among the principal growers in that island are Dr. Oxley, Mr, 

 C. li. Prinsep, and Mr. W. Montgomerie, who have each large 

 plantations, with, from 2,000 to 5,000 bearing trees on them. 

 Others, as Sir. J. d' Almeida, Mr. Nicol, and one or two more, have 

 planted extensively, but have not yet got their trees to the bearing 

 point. 



A large supply of nutmeg and clove plants arrived at Pinang 

 in 1802, from the Molucca Islands. There were 71,266 nutmeg 

 and 55,264 clove plants ; allowing one half of the former to have 

 been male trees, there would only have been 35,633 useful nutmeg 

 plants. It is believed that a mere fraction of .these ever reached 

 maturity, but they served to introduce the cultivation permanently. 

 Plants were likewise sent to Ceylon and Cape Comorin. It does 

 not appear that the climates of these two localities suit the nutmeg 

 tree, as it requires rain, or at least a very damp climate throughout 

 the year. The East India Company's spice plantations in Pinang 

 were sold in 1824, and the trees were dispersed over the island. 



The spice cultivators of the Straits' Settlements have for some 

 time sought a further protective duty on nutmegs, and the ex- 

 tension of a similar protection to mace and cloves, the produce of 

 these settlements ; for singularly enough the present tariff affords 



