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Arabian Coffee {Coffea arabica). — The Arabian coffee planted in the Nursery 
Hooks healthy, but grows slowly. Hybridization may probably re-establish it in cul- 
tivation. 
Bengal Coffee ( Coffea bengalense). — The growth made by Bengal coffee does 
not look promising, the plants are still small however and may not shew their true 
character. 
Chocolate ( Theobroma cacao). — Some plants of Chocolate which stood for 
some years leaf-eaten, extremities of the branches dead, and looking in a dying state 
had, on the land coming under the control of the Forest Department, a number of 
Dadup trees planted among them for experiment. The Dadup trees have now grown 
to about twenty-five feet in height and their branches having nearly met, the solar 
rays are prevented from striking the Chocolate plants directly. 
The result has been that the latter have thrown off their lethargy and started into 
determined competition for light with the Dadups and have grown remarkably, the in- 
sects have given up attacking the leaves, and robust health has returned to them, but 
on other plantations where the plants have had shade from their infancy they have 
mostly died. 
The Chocolate plant has proved very capricious in the Straits, whole plantation 
going off without any apparent cause except the attacks of leaf insects, while here 
and there a solitary plant will for many years survive its fellows and go on bearing 
heavy crops of fruits. It has been said that animals or plants located in large num- 
bers together are liable to epidemic disease, which looses its grasp only after 
the individuals are thinned down to health permitting numbers. There is doubt- 
less such a law in nature. What seems required is a knowledge of how far one can 
safely go without danger of calling its working into activity. 
Tea ( Assam hybrid) grpws with a freedom which would seem to insure pro- 
fitable cultivation, the question is more one of cheap manipulation than of plant growth. 
I have lately inspected tea cultivation on some estates in Ceylon, and I see no 
good reason why its cultivation should not be taken up freely in the Straits on selected 
soils and made remunerative. 
SPICES. 
Clove {Cary ophy Hum aromaticum). — The Clove trees raised from Singapore 
grown seed and planted in the Tanglin Nursery look remarkably healthy, both in swampy 
ground and on the hill sides. They could hardly succeed better anywhere than they 
are doing. 
Nutmeg {Myristica fragrans). — Nutmegs planted in the same Nursery look 
very promising and seem as if prepared to begin another cycle of satisfactory growth 
in the Settlement. Their successful cultivation seems to depend on what nearly all 
other crops depend on in the Straits, i. e., liberal manuring. 
Allspice [Pimenta vulgaris). — A plant of allspice raised from seed some nine 
years ago is now about twelve feet in height and is for the moment covered with 
blossom and small fruit. 
Ginger ( Zingiber officinale ). — Ginger grows satisfactorily, low prices only pre- 
vent its cultivation being freely developed. It is, however, an exhausting crop, soon 
wearing out the land in which it is planted in the absence of liberal manuring. 
Chinese Ginger (. Zingiber sp.). — Some plants of this species, which produces 
the well-known preserved ginger of the shops, were received during the year from 
the Royal Gardens Kew. It has grown well, but shews no sign of flowering. It is 
believed to be an entirely new species, but this cannot be determined in the absence of 
flowers. 
Pepper {Piper nigrum). — The cultivation of pepper is being gradually taken 
up by Europeans. If present prices ($41 per picul for white) keep up, large areas 
will soon be placed under pepper cultivation. 
Cayenne Pepper {Capsicum annuum).- — No pepper from this plant seems to be 
made in the Straits, but chillies of all kinds grow freely. The value of chillies is about 
45 shillings per hhd. in London. 
