/2 RIRJH, OH THIS UKTKt. Vjtttttj 8iC> 



must he attended with a fall of profit sufficient to 

 deter the speculator. The profit now is assuredly 

 very remunerating. 



The consumption of betel b\ Uie inhabitants of Pe- 

 Ti;in<r and Frnvinee Wcllcslev may fairly he .stated at 

 6/21 1,440 bund It s, of UK) leaves each, equal in value to 

 31,0-37 Sp. d tllars ; which would be the produce of 

 abaut 08 nrlu urs of laud, planted regularly, lint 

 allowing f»r the various distances di Hi rent cultivators 

 give betwi\t the plants, according to their individual 

 fancy, ahont lit) mlojiLis may he assumed. 



PEXANO— THE AKECA, OR BETEL NUT. 



This tree lias given its name to the Island of Pcnang, 

 not from its growing* there in larger numbers or being 

 mr>re luxuriant than elsewhere, but heea use it was t lie 

 tree chiefly cultivated h\ the Malays who flfrtf occupied 

 the island. It now better deri ves the title, from iis 

 having- been the emporium fur all the l>etel-nut (not 

 intercepted in its way), raised on I lie east coast of 

 Sumatra. The cultivation of it in Penanu, as an ex- 

 portable ariielr. is ^ \", \ insignificant ; yet it is capable 

 of advantageous extension. The tree is too stiff 

 and uniform to \m beautiful, yet a #rove of it has a 

 pieture»quene<s of its own. derive*! from the slender 

 and wav> gj ;v umii'v of the stem and tlieluft of leaves 

 hi^h over brad, tauriog all in open to the breeze. 

 The flower, tor. cists a delicious perfume around and 

 a creeping plant attaches its? If to the stem, hearing a 

 number of u hio flovw-rs e<juall\ odoriferons. 



The cultivation of this tree lias, lufi.crio, been 

 almost exclusive^ c<*n lined to natives; although large 

 plantations of it were 'contemplated by Oovernnient 

 on the first settlement of the island. 



It was, however, in this .instance as in others, found 

 last conducive ta» the prosperity of the place to leave 

 it to individual enterprise. 



