CULTURE OF COCHINEAL IN INDIA. 
143 
per vine at distances of five cubits in every direction, and 
support it on pieces of the Mootchy tree (Erythrinse, sp.;) 
that the Pepper grew luxuriantly where it had much mois- 
ture, and hence the vallies were the most favorable situations 
for Pepper gardens. After the first planting in September 
the vine required but little attention, being left to its fate for 
twelve or eighteen months, when it received a peculiar treat- 
ment, which Dr. Heyne thinks, is the cause of its great fer- 
tility. The whole plant, with all its branches, being then 
buried in such a way " that only a small arch of the stem re- 
mains above ground." From this arch new shoots soon sprout 
out, three or four of which are allowed to climb up the prop 
tree, and are expected to produce flowers and fruit in a year 
after this operation. Dr. Heyne supposes, that by this prac- 
tice the strength and vigor of the plant, — by the multiplica- 
tion of its organs of nourishment, the roots — being so much 
increased, it cannot only produce large crops of flowers, but 
bring the fruit also to its greatest perfection. The omission 
of this practice, Dr. Heyne supposes, was the cause of failure 
at Samulcottah, as he says, " the plants that were raised from 
cuttings seemed indeed to thrive well, and soon produced 
blossoms; but such as had male flowers only. To account for 
this circumstance, we supposed that the hermaphrodite plant 
had been withheld by the people who sent us cuttings from 
their hills, where pepper is cultivated to a small extent, when, 
in fact, we had starved our plants into celibacy. (Tracts, p. 
402.) It would be an interesting and very useful experi- 
ment, as well as one easily put into execution, in any of the 
Botanic or Horticultural Gardens favorably situated in India, 
to ascertain whether the Malayan treatment applied to the 
Pepper Vine of the Northern Circars would make it more 
fruitful. 
At the same time that so much pains was bestowed on the 
cultivation of the Pepper, Cactus, and Cochineal, considerable 
attention was also directed to the culture of the Mulberry and 
the Silkworm, as well as to that of Sugar, and to the intro- 
