VIII PEPPERS 287 
“ Arsina Murtiga ” lb. per year, and Sambar ” 
only f lb. 
In Cambodia, M. Adliemar Leclerc [Revue des 
cultures coloniales, VI. ii. p. 117) states that 400 
vines in full bearing give from 8 to 12 piculs a year. 
A picul is 133 lbs., so that this makes 1,064 to 1,596 lbs. 
a year for 400 plants, or 2^ to nearly 4 lbs. a vine. 
In the Bulletin economique de V Indo-Chine, 1907, 
p. 371, M. Le Ray states the average production of a 
pepper plantation from five to twenty -two years old is 
very variable, not only from year to year, but also in 
different spots, according to the amount of care taken 
in cultivation, and also as to the planter, whether 
European or Chinese. He gives the following estimates 
by planters and officials in Cambodia : — M. Bouillod 
declares that more than 3 lbs. a vine cannot be expected, 
M. Blanc 3^ lbs., and M. Malescot about 3^ lbs. ; a 
planter, M. Blanc, says that the average of the vines in 
good plantations give a little less than 3 lbs. M. Apavou 
gives the following table as the scale of production of 
100 plants of from five to twenty -two years of age : — 
Kilos per plant. 
Kilos. 
Exceptionally good 
. 3-000 
1 plant 
. 3-000 
Very good . 
. 2-400 
20 plants 
. 48-000 
Fine . 
. 2-100 
30 „ 
. 63-000 
Fairly good 
. 1-600 
30 „ 
. 48-000 
Passable . 
. 1-000 
20 „ 
. 24-700 
Total for 100 plants 
CURING 
. 186-700 
or 31 IJ lbs. 
The pepper is 
gathered into small 
baskets, and 
treated differently according to whether black or white 
pepper is to be made. 
Black Pepper. — The spikes are gathered when only 
a few of the fruits are ripe and red, and spread by 
women and children on mats to dry in the sun. It is 
improved, however, by being plunged in boiling water 
