372 



Proceedings. [No. 10, new series. 



Read the following Memorandum by Mr. A. T. Jaffrey, on the 

 Nutmeg disease, Sec. 



Memorandum. 



On the Nutmeg Disease in the Straits Islands. 



At Page 1314 of " Balfour's Encyclopaedia," the following re- 

 marks occur anent the culture of these spice-trees. " But it is 

 some consolation for the Proprietor to know that stupidity will not 

 ruin him and even at the distance of thousands of miles, he can 

 give such directions as if attended to will keep his estate in a fruit- 

 ful and nourishing state." — Simmonds. This quotation would 

 tend to a belief that it was one of the simplest things in the world 

 to cultivate a Nutmeg Plantation. However the most convincing 

 proof, viz. ocular demonstration, leaves no doubt but that there is 

 a real possibility of ruin staring the Proprietors of the Plantations 

 in Penang and Singapore, in the face ; and the chances are 

 that, unless remedial measures are adopted to arrest the present 

 deterioration of the trees which is almost universal there is a pro- 

 bability that not only ruin is in view, but there is the extinction of 

 a valuable article of commerce to be feared. 



It was perfectly evident when visiting the Islands a few months 

 ago, that some fatal malady had seized upon the trees. What 

 cause this effect had arisen from may be difficult to unpractised 

 eyes to discover; but judging from appearances only, not having 

 sufficient opportunity fairly to investigate the matter, still from 

 what was seen, the conclusion come to was, that the disease was 

 local and not constitutional ; therefore there was a hope that it could 

 be overcome. 



The first supposition was that the disease was canker and there- 

 fore constitutional, but none of the indications, of such a disease 

 being present, could be discovered ; the symptoms of this are the 

 appearance of small blisters on the epidermis of the young shoots^ 

 and sometimes, if not always, at the base of the branches. There 

 was no cracked or suberous appearance on any of the trees exa- 

 mined. It was therefore requisite to draw together from former 

 ascertained facts what the symptoms indicated. These were the 

 yellow sickly appearance of the foliage, the decay of the branches 



