Ill 
NUTMEGS AND MACE 
115 
like shade, but is objected to on account of the great 
size it attains in a short time, and the brittleness of its 
branches, which are apt to fall and damage the plants 
beneath. The canary-nut, which is the main plant used 
in Banda, is of rather slow growth. Erythrina liiho- 
sperma, and other species, might be used in suitable 
spots, but they are not usually very long lived, and 
appear to be very attractive to lightning stroke. It 
has been suggested that planting nutmegs along tracks 
cut through the forest would be found satisfactory, and 
would be well worth trying. This plan has proved very 
successful with gutta-percha trees, which grow much 
more easily in partial shade than in the open ; but this 
plan is open to the objection that the trees and fruit 
would suffer much from the depredation of deer, pigs, 
monkeys, squirrels, and other animals which would be 
difficult to keep in check if the forest was extensive. 
Lumsdaine deprecates the use of shade trees alto- 
gether for nutmegs on the ground that they would 
exclude sun-rays and dew, and would rob the soil of its 
fertility. If the shade trees were too close and dense 
they might, of course, shade out the nutmegs, but this 
is easily obviated by lopping the excessive branches, 
and so letting light in. It is very improbable that 
they would interfere with the growth of the trees by 
destroying the fertility of the soil. It is certain that 
this is not the case in the Banda plantations. If 
necessary, the shade trees could be so arranged as only 
to cut off the hot rays of the sun during the middle of 
the day and the afternoon, and allow the nutmegs to 
have the full benefit of the morning sun. 
Besides preventing the injury to the trees by the 
excessive heat, the shade trees would aid in breaking 
up the soil, in forming humus, and in preventing injury 
by high wind, to which nutmegs are very liable. In 
Penang, where no shade trees are used, the Chinese 
often find it necessary to erect screens to keep the 
wind from injuring the plants. 
Weeding . — In the Straits Settlements and Ceylon, 
