December t, 1887.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
Ail 
are favourable, will most, certainly not be disap- 
pointing. We say, providing the seasons are favourable, 
and we would venture to remark that the time has 
now arrived when the effi ct of the Victorian climate 
and seasons upon the action of artificial manures 
should, in the interests of the agriculture of this 
colony, be authoritatively tested. Scientific manuring 
was originally worked out in the European climate. 
It is not to be supposed that the results here will be 
the same as in the damp soils of England. Hitherto, 
failures resulting from the use of these manures 
in Victoria have been put down either to the bad 
uality of the manure or to their improper application, 
hero may, however, have been more in the influence of 
the Victoriau climate than has yet beeu admitted. 
We commend the matter to the attention of the 
Minister of Agriculture. — M. Leader. 
♦ 
PROCEEDINGS OF THE AGRICULTURAL AND 
HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY OF INDIA. 
FOR OCTOBER, 1887. 
Brazil Nut. (Eertholletia Excelsa.) — Mr. C. Nic- 
kels, of Jaunpore, presented a specimen of this 
plant to the Society, which, however, very unfor- 
tunately was destroyed in transit, having apparently 
beeu attacked by rats. On Mr. Nickels being in- 
formed of the circumstauce, he at once sent a 
second plant, his ouly remaining specimen. This plant 
fortunately arrived safely and is doing well. The 
best thanks of the Society are due to Mr. Nickels 
for his liberality in making this presentation to the 
Society. The tree would be a valuablo introduction 
could it bo acclimatized in Bengal. Some years ago 
many unsuccessful attempts were made by the Society 
to raise plauts from fresh imported seeds, and since 
then little has been heard of this fine tree. Probably 
Mr. Nickels' plant is the only one in this Presidency. 
Mr. Nickels in forwarding the plant writes : — " The 
Brazil Nut suffers very much from the cold. I kept 
it last year in my Chick-House (Fernery) ; the pot 
was pluced on the ground, and a big glass cover 
put over it, and on very cold nights a mat used to 
be thrown over the glass. Even then the cold seemed 
to effect it. I would therefore suggest its being 
kept through the winter iu your conservatory, and 
about the beginning of February it should be planted 
out. I should say it would do better if it had the 
protection of other trees round about." 
♦ 
THE BETEL VINE. 
{Strait* limes, November 8th.) 
In Europe attention has been called, of late, to the 
valuable medical properties of an article which, hitherto, 
has occupied rather a subordinate placo in the trade 
products known under the generic natne of Straits pro- 
duce. The avtiole we refer to is the sirih or betel vine, 
the leaves of which are iu gn at request for chewing 
purposes among certain sections of our native popul- 
ation, especially the Malays, who sot no small store by 
the practice in question. The healing powers of the 
betel vine leaf have not escaped observation. Its cur- 
ative properties are pretty well kuown in the tropical 
districts, where the vine in question has a local habit- 
ation and a name. Tin- natives have not failed to take 
note of the fact, and to profit by it iu their own peculiar 
way. So strong in their liking for betel that, in the 
early days of the Settlement, it formed a source of 
revenue in the shape of an Excise F irm. In the in- 
fancy of Singapore, with heavy expenditure to meet, 
■ueh small game as a sirih farm was not deemed 
ben. alb i,,iiicu by the Treasury, which now-adays can 
afford to dispense with its aid in extending the area of 
taxation. With the olaases of natives in questiou, 
chewing -u ih is not only serviceable to pass the time, 
but has certainly proved conducive to henltb. Iu this 
part nt the world, i he He f,i.-t -. hive teen kii"«n for 
couturii a, but no a.lvon'age, till recently, b is been taken 
of it. healing virtues, in 'he interest of Western modi 
c ll science. In Europe, they have so fur es ape, I notice 
that hardly anything relating to the betel leaf is met 
with in pliiviin.ieoii ieal t. \t Imoks. There is every 
prospect ot material imptovtun. nt thortly in thii respect. 
At Surabaya, experiments and trials have resulted in 
the discovery of a method to separate from the betel 
leaf the volatile oil to which the plant owes its healing 
qualities. It seems that the reasons why, iu Europe 
hitherto, no use has been made of betel leaves for cur- 
ative purposes reside chieily in the fact that the leaves 
are soon liable to become damaged, and in drying, 
altogether lose their aromatic, spicy, and stimulating 
odour. In this part of the world, so far as observation 
goes, betel leaf is used medically for sundry ends. It 
has been outwardly and inwardly applied with somo 
measure of success in different disorders. In headache, 
cough, an<l affections of the throat, sores, and wounds 
it has hi en found highly efficacious. In Europe, the 
same remedy may be turned to account by making use 
of the betel oil now available. Already in Germany, 
highly satisfactory results have been achieved by pre- 
scribing it against these diseases. It has been found 
beneficial even against consumption. This out-come 
certainly affords gratification, from its increasing the 
resources of civilisation in the medical line, and allevi- 
ating the suffering arising from the diseases it cures. 
In these hard times, when profitable investment of 
capital looks so difficult, the cultivation of the betel 
vine might be worth a trial. It is worth while noting 
that the word betel is, properly speaking, applicable to 
the sirih vine only. It is sometimes applied to the 
arecanut palm, better known here by the name of 
penano. 
[That the betel leaf is a narcotic stimulaut is 
well-known. We should like to have assurance of 
the other virtues ascribed to it. It might be in- 
teresting to treat some of the leaves likv tea, and 
test the infusion.— Ed. J 
♦ 
PEPPER GROWING, 
Iu hard times like these, when planters' lines are 
far from being cast in pleasant places, and cultivating 
enterprise hag to cope with so many difficulties and 
hindrances, it is worth their while to pay attention 
to a branch of cultivation too much overlooked by 
Eu-opean produce-growers, and great deal too loug 
left in the hands of natives and Chinese, heedless 
and reckless whether they exhaust the soil or not. 
The cultivation here meant is that of the pepper 
vine. Of all the kinds of produce grown within 
the tropics, hardly one can be pointed out which, 
as regards cheap upkeep and planting, quick growth 
and early and. abundant yield, can be compared 
with pepper. It has in consequence, from time out 
of mind, beeu held iu high repute throughout Suma- 
tra, for instance, as a paying produce article. The 
Chinese, too, both here and in the neighbourhood, 
have readily turned to and taken every advantage of 
this branch of planting iudustry. Even with their 
primitive and unskilful way of working, pepper grow- 
ing has proved highly remunerative. Undoubtedly 
it would turn out still more payable and more sus- 
ceptible of heavier yields wore Europeans to take up 
tbo cultivation and bring to bear upon it the greater 
sci ntific knowledge at their cimmand. One indis- 
pensable condition for the success of pepper growing 
is good choice of ground, especially as regards the 
lie of tho hind. Fl its or gently sloping land of sedi- 
mentary and plutonic formation have invariably been 
found most suitable for tho purpose and to meet 
every rquitemeut. Of any short supply of lands 
answering the demands of planters there need be no 
fear. In the neighbouring Native States, far reaching 
and fer'ile plains are available in any quantity. Tho 
consumption of pepper, not only in Europe and America, 
but nlso in China hns, of late, proved BO steady and 
rapidly increasing, that the supply has utterly filled 
to overtake the demand. Last year, in particular, this 
has been mark* dly the csso to a very groat extent, 
owing to Acheen, in former times the chief source of 
supply, nowadays not piodtiring any quantities worth 
mentioning Fn market reports. Amofedly many years 
will puss away before that country regain* its fornio- 
lii^ti r. natation as a pepper producer Tl 
justify the conclusion that while many other branches 
