our ingenious artists, and we may yet see it converted into a valuable
manufacture. It grows in pods, from four to six inches long, which burst
open when ripe. The seeds entirely resemble the black pepper, but are
without taste. The tree is remarkable from the branches growing out
perfectly straight and horizontal, and being always three, forming equal
angles, at the same height: the diminutive shoots likewise grow flat; and
the several gradations of branches observe the same regularity to the
top. Some travellers have called it the umbrella tree, but the piece of
furniture called a dumb-waiter exhibits a more striking picture of it.

BETEL-NUT.

The betel-nut or pinang (Areca catechu) before mentioned is a
considerable article of traffic to the coast of Coromandel or Telinga,
particularly from Achin.

COFFEE.

The coffee-trees are universally planted, but the fruit produced here is
not excellent in quality, which is probably owing entirely to the want of
skill in the management of them. The plants are disposed too close to
each other, and are so much overshaded by other trees that the sun cannot
penetrate to the fruit; owing to which the juices are not well ripened,
and the berries, which become large, do not acquire a proper flavour. Add
to this that the berries are gathered whilst red, which is before they
have arrived at a due degree of maturity, and which the Arabs always
permit them to attain to, esteeming it essential to the goodness of the
coffee. As the tree is of the same species with that cultivated in Arabia
there is little doubt but with proper care this article might be produced
of a quality equal, perhaps superior, to that imported from the West
Indies; though probably the heavy rains on Sumatra may prevent its
attaining to the perfection of the coffee of Mocha.*

(*Footnote. For these observations on the growth of the coffee, as well
as many others on the vegetable productions of the island, I am indebted
to the letters of Mr. Charles Miller, entered on the Company's records at
Bencoolen, and have to return him my thanks for many communications since
his return to England. On the subject of this article of produce I have
since received the following interesting information from the late Mr.
Charles Campbell in a letter dated November 1803. "The coffee you
recollect on this coast I found so degenerated from want of culture and
care as not to be worth the rearing. But this objection has been removed,