SUMATRA, 
any quantities ; but the natives raife no more than is neccffary for their 
own douieftic tmnufadures. The filk cotton (bmktx tciba) is alfo to 
be met with in every village. This is, to appearance, one of the moll 
beautiful raw materials the hand of nature has prefented. It*s finenefsj 
glofsj and delicate foftncfs, render it, to the fight and touch, much fu- 
pcriorto the labor of the filkworm; but owing to the fliortnefs and brlt- 
tlenefs of the llaplc, it is eftecmed unfit for the reel and loom, and is 
only applied to the unworthy purpofe of ftufiing pillows and riiattralTes. 
PolEbiy it has not undergone a fair trial in the bands of our ingenious 
artifts, and we may yet fee it conv^crted into a valuable manufadiure. It 
grows iti pods, from four to fix inches long, which burfl open when 
ripe. The feeds entirely refemble the black pepper, hut are without 
t^e. The tree is remarkable, from the branches growing out perfe<-tly 
ftreight and horizontal, and being always three, forming equal angles, 
at the fame height: the dimijiutive fhoots likewife grow flat; and the 
feveral gradations of branches obferve the fame regularity to the top. 
Some travellers have called it the umbrella tree, but the piece of furni- 
ture called a dumb waiter, exhibits a more ft r iking picture of it. 
^1 r: 
The penang or betel nut, before mentioned, is a confiderable article B«tel Ni 
of trafEck to the coaft of Coromandel or TcUnga, particularly from 
Acheen. 
The coffee trees tire xiinverfally planted, but the fruit produced here coffee* 
is not excellent in quality, which is probably owing entirely to the want 
of fkjX\ in the management of them. The plants are difpofed too clofe 
to each other, and are fo much overfiiaded by other trees, that the fun 
cannot penetrate to the fruit; owing to which the juices are not well 
ripened, and the berries, which become large, do not acquire a proper 
flavor. Add to this, that the berries are gathered whilfl red, which is 
before they have arrived at a due degree of maturity, and which the 
Arabs always permit them to attain to, efteeming it eflential to the good- 
nefs of the coifee. As the tree is of the fame fpecies with that culti- 
vated in Arabia, there is little doubt but with proper care, this article 
might 
