ainty of the sex, has still to be tried in this cultivation. Some
three years ago (continues Dr. Oxley), I succeeded in grafting several
plants by approach; these are not sufficiently old for me to decide
whether it be desirable or not, for although the plants are looking
well and growing, they as yet have thrown out their branches in a
straggling irregular manner, having no leaders, and consequently they
cannot extend their branches in the regular verticles necessary for
the perfect formation of the tree, without which they must ever be
small and stunted, and consequently incapable of yielding any quantity
of produce. The grafts have succeeded so far as stock and scion
becoming one, and in time a perpendicular shoot from the wood may
appear. If after that it should increase in size and strength, so as
to form a tree of full dimensions, the advantage gained would be worth
any trouble, the quality of some nuts being so far above that of
others, it would make a difference beyond present calculation; in
short, 1,000 such picked trees at the present prices would yield
something equivalent to L4,000 a year, for L4 per tree would be a low
estimate for such plants. If this ever does occur, it will change the
aspect of cultivation altogether, and I see no good reason why it
should not, except that those possessing trees of the quality alluded
to, would not very willingly permit others to graft from them, so it
is only the already successful planter who can try the experiment
properly.

An acre of land contains on an average 92 trees, and it is calculated
an outlay of 300 dollars is required upon every acre to bring the tree
to maturity; but as not more than one-half of the trees generally turn
out females, and as many others are destroyed by accident and diseases
to which this plant is very liable, it makes the cost of each tree, by
the time it yields fruit, about eight dollars. The nutmeg tree begins
to bear when about eight years old, but it gives no return for several
years longer; and therefore to the expense of cultivation must be
added the interest of the capital sunk. The plant being indigenous in
the Moluccas, the expense of cultivation there is greatly less, and
this consequently forms a strong ground of claim to the British
planter for protective duties to their spices from the British
Government.

The planter having his tree arrived at the agreeable point of
producing, has but slight trouble in preparing his produc