AGRICULTURE IN MALACCA. 
720 
with which the tree terminates its existence. The fruit bearing 
mayam has a beautiful appearance, the nuts hanging in clusters of 
many thousands, and when green the transparent kernal is made 
into preserves, known as manisan kabong. The tree grows 
spontaneously and requires not the slightest care ; it thrives best 
in hilly soil, where it flourishes even in the midst of jungle. The 
ijau or black fibrous covering of its trunk makes excellent cordage 
of all descriptions—from the string used for fastening roofs or 
palings, to the hawser of native vessels. It is of the most durable 
quality and stands the weather much better than coir or rattan. 
The rearing of cattle forms also a subject of great importance to 
an agriculturist, and a plantation is therefore not complete without 
a Farm-yard. With this view, a simultaneous object with the open¬ 
ing of a plantation, should be that of purchasing ten or twenty 
cows with one young bull ; they ought to be heifers from 2| to *3 
years old. The cow-house ought to be capacious, so as to be able 
to contain about a hundred head of cattle,—one of GO by 30 feet 
will answer this purpose; it should be airy and ventilated, the 
floor paved with bricks and sloping towards two sides, where there 
should be a clear run of gutters to carry off the urine to a pit outside; 
the gutter from one side should communicate with the other by 
a vaulted passage running under ground, across the middle of the 
building, and the whole surrounded by a strong palisade of brom- 
hong wood. The main pavement of the building may be laid flat, 
provided the cement is strong ; some bricklayers have an idea that 
the larger the quantity of chimam used the stronger is the cement, 
and at this rate you are made to pay for a larger proportion of lime 
than is requisite for the work; one half is the usual quantity of 
chunam recommended by them, when the work is required to be 
strong, but you cannot spend money to less purpose—the cement is 
stronger when there are more particles of coarse sand to hold 
together ; the proportion I have found to adhere best is one of 
chunam to two or three of sand. The pen must be daily scraped 
with a square blunt iron chankal, and all refuse carried out to the 
dung pit, which should be shaded from the action of the sun. The 
coating of dung that is left after cleaning soon dries up, and serves 
as an elastic covering to the floor, which preserves it from being 
broken by the trampling of the cows. The roof of the cow-house, 
indeed of all out houses, should be of glam-bark unless the leaves 
ot sago palm can be readily obtained—it lasts twice as long as attaps 
made of nipali,—is less combustible and a great deal cooler. 
One or two grazing grounds ought also to be prepared connected 
with the plantation if possible, but entirely separated from it by 
bamboo hedges ; but if unconnected, they should be at no greater 
distance from it than half a mile. In localities where there are 
abandoned gambier or pepper plantations, these may be obtained 
for a trifle, the only expense would be clearing them of brushwood 
