at Bencoolen^ in the Island of Sumatra. 1^9 
The settlement now assumed the resemblance of a busy agri- 
cultural community, and discussions on the properties of the 
soil became the daily topics of conversation. The soil through- 
out the plantations is generally red mould, with stony frag- 
ments or pebbles frequently intermixed with it : the surface of 
it in the forest, alluvial and low lands, being of a chocolate colour, 
varying in depth from 3 to 10 or 12 inches. After a long du- 
ration of dry weather, this rUould is frequently found to be so 
stiff and unyielding, as to require a good deal of labour to effect 
a mechanical division of its particles, so as to render it fit for 
the purposes of agriculture. It is susceptible, however, of very 
great amelioration by means of tillage and appropriate com- 
posts; and, indeed, the soil of Ceylon, in which the cinnamon 
tree thrives so luxuriantly, is of the same description. The 
low lands and swamps are highly productive, in proof of which 
it is sufficient to mention, that those of Benteerin were at one 
time under a course of culture for twenty years without a fal- 
low. A marly-looking soapy clay is met with at the distance of 
10 or 12 feet from the surface, which, at a still greater depth, is 
considerably indurated by the action of the water that percolates 
through the ground in all directions, and in combination with 
sand, forms the substance called Napal. 
The mode of culture adopted in the different plantations is 
nearly the same. The beds of the trees are kept free from 
grass and noxious weeds by the hoe, and the plough is occasion- 
ally run along the interjacent spaces for the purpose of eradi- 
cating the Lallang {Andropogon caricosum)^ which proves great- 
ly obstructive to the operations of agriculture. The trees are 
generally manured with cow-dung and burnt earth once a-year, 
in the rainy season ; but the preparation of suitable composts, 
and their mode of application, are but imperfectly understood. 
The pruning-knife is too sparingly used ; very few of the plant- 
ers lop off the lower verticels of the nutmeg-trees, or thin them 
of the unproductive and straggling branches. 
The site of a plantation is an object of primary importance, 
and doubtless the alluvial grounds are entitled to preference, 
from the acknowledged fertility of their soil, and its appropriate 
organisation and capability of retaining moisture, independently 
of the advantage of water-carriage. Several of the nutmeg- 
VOL. VII. NO. 13. JULY 1822. 
I 
