September l, i888.1 THF. TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
i57 
out blossom*, which should be nipped ofT. On a ten feet 
post, the vine should be topped Ihroe times, the third 
time as it reaches the top, when the shoots composing 
the vine thould he tied together and topped. As the 
vino is topped every three feet or so, that portion should 
be tied with some strong material, small unsplit rattan 
being used in the Straits. All subsequent handling con- 
sists 111 stopping the upward growth of the vine and 
keeping all suckers ami shoot, down. The vine should 
reach the top of the post in between 3 and 4 years, 
according to soil and cultivation, i would not allow 
the viin to bear until it has reached the top ot the 
post. The Chinese, however, begin to pick when the 
vine is Irom two to two and a half years old, but 
they allow it to bear gradually from the bottom 
upwards. A vine is fully matured when ;"> years old. 
Manuring and Mamvres.—Aft&t letting down, vines 
ghovUd be manured at least once a year. From the 
tune of coming into beaming, always twicea year. Time 
of manuring — in dry or showery weather. The Chinese 
use only burnt earth and fish manure, but chietly the 
former ; and there is no doubt that it has a wonderful 
effect. Besides the abovenatned manures, liquid cattle 
manure, applied during dry weather, has also a wonder- 
ful effect. Before using bulky manures they should be 
burnt with the addition of earth mould, the same way 
as burnt earth; otherwise they will attract whiteantfi 
and root clcstro) ing insects of all sorts. 1 have seen 
castor-cake applied both to the surface and below the 
Soil. The result in both cafes was the death of ihe 
vine, fu a dry climate or in dry weather, I strongly 
recommend thatching. Manures should be applied on 
the surface, but may be lightly covered with soil, 
forking should not be done as the risk of injury to the 
roots is too great. As far as I am aware bones, poonac, 
lime 1 pure) or guano have never been tried. 
Crop, mul tahiiiyoinl Vvriny. — There are two crops 
a year, December— January, and July — August. When 
the bunches have turned a dark green colour, they 
are ready to pluck. This is done by Dipping off the 
bunch whole. It is then dried (by the Chinese on mats 
placed about 0 feet above the gambier furnace) either 
by lire heat or sun heat, is then separated by rubbing on 
a rough surface such as a mat and is subsequently put 
through a fanner, packed in bags and is then ready 
lor dispatch. This is Black Pepper. White Pepper 
is good by fermenting or, more properly speaking, 
soaking for several days the berries that have turned 
or are ou the point of turning red. It is then 
stamped out with the feet to remove the outer 
skin, washed and dried in the sun. I have co 
doubt that with a drier, separator and fanner, better 
work and fiuCr pepper than is obtained at present 
cau be readily turntd out. The following may be 
considered a safe e>timalu of crop per vine; for 
the 3rd year, 1 catty; 4th year, IK catty; 5th year, 
!3 to '.lh catties; a cutiy being 1} pound. 
Buildings.— Should cattle-sheds be built, I strongly 
adviae that the floor should be rendered as water- 
tight as possible so as to lose no urine. Near all 
coolie lines, too, there should be a covered-in pit, 
and tubs should be placed along the verandahs to 
receive waste rice and rice water, etc., as by these 
means an ouormous amuiiut ot valuable manure can 
be collected. Should cattle bo kept, 1 strougly ad- 
vise a few pigs being kept also. For plans of buildings 
suitable for an estato I cau recommend The 1 'eylon 
Planters' Association's Prize Essay an Buildings, by 
Messrs. Owen and Ballardic. 
tinemies of the Pepper Vint.-~ The Pepper Vine, like 
most other economic plants, is subject to disease 
and attacks from insects. Its chief enemies are 
white-ants, black-bug, white-bug, borer, mole-cricket, 
■ uirbona-caterpillar and a certain insect belonging, 
I think, to the llcmiptera. 
Cures mid Preventive Measures.— A strong solution 
of Tuba root is quite sufficient to (keep away white- 
ants. Tuba root is used by the Malays and Chinese 
i> poison tish ill rivers, and is common all over 
the Straits. Black and white bugs cau be got rid 
of by appl)ing a solution of Tuba root and the 
juice of common damaged tobacco. In mild cases, 
MtlC8| Hum or sulphur uud lime, applied early in 
the morning, will be found sufficient. Worer begins 
always by attacking the joints of the branches and 
its presence is known by the light yellowish colour 
of the bark. I know of no prevention, and provided 
it has not gone far, it cau be be easily caught. It 
always works round the joints, and when it has 
completed the circle, it commences to bore down 
the centre of the branch and sometimes, but very 
seldom, the stern. The mole-cricket goes lor the 
roots, but dots the least damage of all. If it has 
goue too far to dig out, I can only recommend the 
hole being plugged up as far as possible with clay. 
The green cinchona-caterpillar attacks the leaves 
only, but of these it is capable of devouring an 
enormous quantity. The only way to get rid of 
it is to send a cooly round to collect and destroy 
them. The last mentioned insect (Hemipterk?) only 
appears in dry weather and sucks the juice from 
the young shoots and branches, generally killing 
the latter. It is to be found at the juuetion of the 
brauch and stem. I fancy a weak solution of kerosiue 
and water would clear them off, say a wine glass 
of oil to a bucket of water. 
Timbers. — In the Straits I would only recommend 
the following timbers to be used for permanent 
posts: — 
Tampenis {Slietia sideroxglon). Bed, very hard, 
close grained. 
Krangee. (Dilum indieunt.) Dark red, hard, close- 
grained. 
Panaga. [Adinamd/ra Dumosa). Bright red, hard, 
cross-grained. 
Tumboosoo. (Fagraa Peregriiitt). Very hard, close 
graiued. long fibre. 
Billian. Hard, heavy, close grained, (cailed Billiau 
Wangy). 
Ballow. Colour dull gray. 
Kulim. Very like Ballow. 
Rassak (Vatic« species). Red is the best. 
Darroo {Apoih/tts species). White, close graiued, 
agreeable smell. 
Tanibaga; Damar Putin J Bawang, light yellow and 
smells like an onion. Kaju Kuning, I think, is an- 
other name for Kulim. Rungas, (Gluia ce/utiiui) a 
handsome wood used for furniture making, dark red 
with black veins. Lasts well. The above timber list 
is partly taken from the Tropical Agriculturist, 
Estimate ov ExpeNdittoiis. 
To these rough notes I append au estimate for 
opening and bringing into bearirjg 10 acres of pep- 
per. Rate of pay 30 cts. of a S per cooly. 
S 
Felling, clearing and burning (contractor 
taking risk) 70 
Diggiug one foot deep, heapiug all roots 
for burnt earth and keeping trees 
for posts 300 
Lining, cuttiug pegs, etc. 15 
Roads 4 feet 20 
Drains 18 inches 20 
Temporary posts with carriage 200 
Holing, fixing temporary posts 10 
Nursery plants § PJO; cost of nursery and 
watering S70 ll'O 
Planting and shading 25 
Burnt earth 72 
Tools, contingencies 15(J 
Weeding for six months at 40 cts. 
per aero 24 
Application < pic. burnt earth 30 
Tyiug, one man, 1.500 vines 51 
Nursery. — plants s 17. Cooly $-7: 
vacnucics 15 " 0 4 I 
Supplying and -hading 10 
Upkeep roads and druitis 30 
Contingencies 50 
Expenditure (Total; Pepper — — 
0 niontht old 18SW 
