308 
SPICES 
CHAP. 
trodden with the feet, to separate the fruit from the stalk. The 
grain is then winnowed, to clear it from the stalks and the 
lighter grains ; and then the good heavy grains are spread on 
mats in the sun to dry for three days. It is calculated that 
100 catties of green pepper, with the stalks, yield 35 catties of 
clean and dry pepper. The collection of one day from 46,000 
plants of three years old was 500 catties of green or 175 of 
dry pepper. 
It is usual, as was before noticed, when the plantation is 
delivered over to the proprietors at the end of three years to 
let it to a Chinese farmer for five years more ; as the proprietor 
is thereby less liable to imposition, the only precaution necessary 
being to see that the tenant is careful of the vines during the 
last year, and leaves them in good condition at the expiration 
of the lease. This is the only way in which an extensive planta- 
tion, or one whereon the proprietor cannot bestow his whole 
attention, can be managed to advantage. But, if the proprietor 
has time and is careful and acute, he may render it something 
more productive by keeping it in his own hands. The labour 
of cleaning the vines, throwing up earth about the roots, and 
collecting the produce of the plantation above mentioned of 
46,000 plants was performed by sixteen Chinese workmen. 
In an Appendix to a letter from the Superintendent of 
Prince of Wales Island, dated 12th hTovember 1796, is an 
estimate, whereby it would appear that a plantation of 100,000 
vines should yield, at the end of twelve years, a clear profit to 
the proprietor of 153,000 Spanish dollars. But the value of 
the pepper is stated too high at 14 dollars per picul ; and the 
interest of money, on both sides of the account, is neglected. 
Yet if we value the pepper only at 10 dollars, for which it is 
presumed it may always be sold on the field, and compute the 
interest, the result will give an advantage exceeding the 
Superintendent’s calculation by 31,000 dollars. See Appendix A. 
The whole quantity of pepper produced last year on the 
Island was estimated at something between 16,000 and 20,000 
piculs. Taking the medium quantity at 12 dollars, which was 
the selling price, this article must have amounted to 216,000 
dollars. The pepper is more esteemed than that which comes 
from the Malay continent and Sumatra, and it sells for about 1 
dollar more per picul. The difference is occasioned by the 
haste of the Malays to gather fruit before it is sufficiently ripe. 
