is partial to hilly land or slopes at the skirts of hills. Two hundred
plants are usually placed on one orlong of land, being six feet
asunder. They are raised from seed, and are topped to eight or ten
feet, when the gambier is to be prepared. The Chinese dry the seed
slightly, and sow in rainy weather.

The seeds vegetate in forty days, and are planted out in the second or
third month afterwards.

At the expiration of fourteen months, the first cutting of the
branches, with the leaves on, is made. These are put into a boiler,
and when the juice has been extracted, the branches and refuse are
thrown away, and the boiling is continued until the liquor has
obtained the proper consistence, when it is put into shallow troughs,
dried, and cut into slices for sale. The second cutting takes place
eight months subsequently to the first. The plant now grows strong and
admits of frequent cropping, and it will endure for twenty years. No
manure is used, but the plantation is kept clean.

Estimated cost of cultivating ten orlongs, about 13 acres, according
to Colonel Low:--

Spanish dollars.
Value of cleared land, ten orlongs 200
Six laborers per annum 360
Quit rent 7
Boilers, firewood, and implements 20
Houses 50
Incidental 30
----
Total first year 667
Second year 397
----
1,064

The six laborers on the plantation will, after the above period, be
constantly employed in cutting and preparing the gambier: the average
product will be 15 piculs monthly, which, at two dollars per picul,
will be 30 dollars monthly, or 360 dollars per annum. This is the
account obtained by collating different Chinese statements.

The _Nauclea Gambir_ is placed by Jussieu under the natural order
_Rubiaceae_; it is a shrub attaining the height of six to eight feet,
branchy; the leaves are ovate, pointed, smooth, waving, distinctly
veined transversely underneath, of dark green color, and, when chewed,
they have a bitter astringent taste, leaving however, afterwards, a
sweetish taste in the mouth, not unlike liquorice; the flowers are
aggregate, globular, composed of numerous florets, crowded