146 VIEW OP THE STATE OF AGRICULTURE IN THE BRITISH 
the leaves of gambler into a strong decoction which on codling hard¬ 
ens somewhat in appearance to soap. Now the Pepper vine, to he 
vigorous, and productive, requiries a good deal of manure, and the 
exhausted leaves of Gambier are carefully preserved to be afterwards 
deposited at the roots of the pepper vines, and this is the only ma¬ 
nure they receive, while to the Gambier plants none v iiate\ei is gi¬ 
ven. The ground is gradually impoverished; becomes less valuable; 
lalang soon begins to shew itself among the plants; as the cultivator 
is not the proprietor, but a squatter, and as lie has abundance of fresh 
ground at hand, and believing it to be more for his interest to begin 
a new plantation than to be at the expence of procuring manure to 
keep the old one in good order, it is not a matter of wonder that lie 
should remove from place to place, and, as the locust, leave a tract 
of desolation behind him. 
The Europeans who commenced plantation of nutmegs, eocoanuts 
and Sugar canes have been put to great expence in extirpating the 
lalang left by the Chinese who preceded them, and as their perni¬ 
cious practice is still continued, the heavy out-lays required to put 
the ground in a fit state for planting will tend to discourage and re¬ 
tard European enterprise. 
There are several extensive estates of nutmegs owned by Euro¬ 
peans in tnc Island in a very thriving condition, and more are year¬ 
ly added. This spice grows best in the red soil of the lulls, and to 
increase the products large quantities or rich manures arc given to 
them, once in two or three years. 
The great attention the trees receive in the Straits has a very be¬ 
neficial effect on the nuts, which are large and of a much esteemed 
quality in the markets oi the west. 
No success has attended repeated trials of cloves here ; until the 
trees reach the age of bearing they grow and look extremely well; 
but any expectation of a crop that may have been raised by then 
hitherto fine condition ends in disappointment, foi just tin u the 
trees assume the appearance of sudden blight as ii lightning stiieLcuj 
and they die. 
Cinnamon is much more successful, for wherever planted it grows 
