32 sriCE* — CO*T rtV ( T! TIVATIXG, &<■. 



added on the score of crreal risks and prospective pr< - 

 fits, ami perhaps Tew planters would be found willing 

 to sell even at this rale. A tio ribbing nutmeg- Ire* , 

 from 10 to 15 3 ears old in full Ijearing, cannot, on the 

 lowest possible estimate, he vahed under 10 Spanish 

 dollars; nor that of A simila rh circumstanced clove 

 tree, under 5 dollars. 



The cost which would attend a plantation of the di. 

 mension above stated, at Bencoolen could not be reduc- 

 ed below 70 ? 000 Spanish dollars, and it is probable 

 that with Kttgra labor a plantation of the same size in 

 the West India Islands would cost about an equal 

 sum ; while, with free labor it would, it is supposed, 

 exceed this sum by About one-fourth part ; for it is 

 taken for granted that (lie rate of 1> dollars per men- 

 sem, as gfiften to a day-labourer at the Brazil, is pretty 

 generally applicable to those islands. 



THE NIT MEG. 



The cultivation of the nutmeg is of primary import. 

 It has been sufficiently proved that the tree will flour- 

 ish here on soils of the most contrary qualities ; for 

 it might be difficult to pronounce decidedly what 

 kind of soil is best adapted for its growth and longe- 

 vity ; for its existence as yet on Fenang is comprised 

 within about thirty years, while we know that in the 

 Moluccas it attains the age of one hundred and eigh- 

 ty years. We fmd it, however, growing luxuriantly 

 on Penang at an elevation of 2,000 feet a hove the le- 

 vel of the sea, on gentle slopes, on low rocky-hills, 

 and on deep alluvial soil scarcely elevated above high 

 water marl,. In the mountain valleys it yields heavy 

 crops without the application of manure and the pro- 

 duce is of a very superior description. 



Or the slopes skirting the base of the hills, and on 

 the plains, the system of mauui big as described b\ Dr. 

 Lumsdaine to have been followed at B- itcotden ©rigid- 



