264 
SPICES 
CHAP. 
removed. This was the season of ploughing and padi-planting, 
or, as will be inferred, the commencement of the rainy season, 
and as the catkins or flower spikes are borne in the axils of 
new growths, the vines would not be over-shaded in the growing 
season. 
The Chinese in the south of the peninsula do not 
use shade trees, but it must be remembered that the 
dry season in Siam is much longer and more marked 
than it is in the south of the peninsula. But even here 
a light shade is certainly good for the pepper, as is 
shown by the fact that it is necessary to throw waste 
gambir leaves or cut grass over the pepper roots during 
a dry spell to protect them from the great heat of the 
sun. 
The mengkudu tree is a comparatively small one, 
and never attains the bulk of an Erythrina. It is a 
native of the Malay region, occurring commonly round 
villages in a semi-wild condition. Its roots were formerly 
used for a red or red-brown dye, obtained from the bark 
of the larger roots. 
In Sir William Hunter s account of pepper cultiva- 
tion in Penang in 1803, given as an appendix, he says 
that the Chinese planters say that the pepper on 
Erythrina lasts longer than that on Morinda and 
gives some evidence to show the superiority of the 
former. Erythrina certainly has the advantage of rapid 
growth, and is easy to handle. It is also obtainable 
all over the tropics and can be had in quantities. It 
grows readily from seed, but it is for the purpose of 
pepper-growing best propagated from cuttings. These 
cuttings should be stout boughs cut into pieces, 3 ft. or 
more long, and about 2 in. through. One good-sized 
Erythrina will supply a considerable number, enough 
for 1 acre or 2 at least. Its main objections seem to 
me its smoothness of bark which the pepper cannot 
always grip firmly, and its liability to die from wound 
fungi. 
In Planting Opinion, 1899, p. 689, ‘‘Producer” 
writes : — “ Till some fifteen years ago pepper was 
