The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1806-01-23 00:00:00

ARENA.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE RRITISII PRESS.
Si R—A s the following observations on a vegeta-
ble plant of China may not be uninteresting to some
classes of your readers, I beg leave to solicit its in-
sertion in your valuable and justly esteemed mii
cellany.
The Areka, or Surrapi of China, is used among j
the Chinese, by wrapping it in the leaf of the Beetle. I
er Paring-ledf, a shrub similar to the woodbine, or
ivy, of England, which encircles itself round the
tree, a species of palm. that generally attains
the height of tint ty or forty feet, perfeelly straight,
of the circumference of a full-grown poplar, with
protuberant rings on the bark, at equal distances.
possessing no branches but at the head, where it
spreads itself, and to them is suspended the fruit of
nut of die Areka, erroneously termed Beetle-nor,
enveloped in an outward coating of numerous fila-
ments, consisting, in size, about an English walnut,
hut more conical. This husk is not unlike, in its
truaure, to the rind of a cocoa nut, but more soft
and pliable. I imagine it is either in quanity insuf-
ficie it, or there is a succedanerros in the bark of other
tress, whi.h are more profitable in converting it
into paper, which the Chinese wrought from almost
every species of cortical vegetable. The pro-
perties of the Areka are unparalleled. as an ex-
treme beautifier and eminent preserver of the
teeth : its strong astringency gives them strength,
and is unesceptionably the finest antiscorbutie
known. I have seen many Europeans, that
have had the most indifferent teeth, and who
were frequently troubled with that tantalizing af-
flietion, the tooth-acb, by a short residence its India,
where they have constantly accustomed themselves
to its use, have permanently beers relieved, and the
appearance of their teeth improved wonderfully ;
even the most offensive breath has been overcome,
as it posse one of the most incomparable
odours I have met with either in China, the Mo-
luccas, or whole peninsula of Indostan. I may
perhaps be considered too sanguine or partial in
my praise of this vegetable ; yet I feel confident no
one who is acquainted with it, will curreCt my
statement any ways unfavourable to the description
I have given. It is to he regretted this has not
long since been a principal article of importation.
So highly and so justly as this is esteemed in
China, yet, in Europe, it is, in fan, scarcely known.
It may, perhaps, be considered in this country ex-
traordinary, since its virtues are so great, when I
mention it is, notwithstanding, neither cultivated
among agriculturists or private gentlemen. In:ln-
dia it is the promiscuous inhabitant of every wood
or jungle ; and, like many of our most valuabl:
herbs, grows spontaneously in the fields, unheeded
or disregarded, but by the herbalist or botanist.
The 'diva that is produced by *hewing this .nut,
is of the most beautiful red the eye can either wk..'
ness, or the imagination conceive; and were there
a possibility of extrafting the dye, its richness
would he unexampled, and displace those that
are now held in the highest consideration ; but,
the colour of this nut is only imparted in its
green state; when it becomes hardened, it neither
will disclose this valuable property to aqueous, nii-
rituous, or oily menstraums; and no means which
I have as yet been made acquaiated with, are capa-
ble of success. I have heard of its being inflated,
after levigation, in spirits, and ailing as a great
corroborant of the stomach, and facilitating diges-
tion. As a styptic medicine, it may not be inferior
to the best Peru. ban bark. It is perfeftly tasteless,
otherwise than the aromatic effluvia which arises
after it is chewed. From the circumstance of the
Betel growing round the Areka tree, we may attri-
bute the cause of the leaf of this vine being wrapped
and chewed together with the Areka nut, as if Nature
vindicated the propriety of blending them, in order,
as it is perfeftly known, to corteft the predon i sant
bitterness of the Betel, by the aromatic flavour of
the Areka : the anodyne qualities of the former
render it a peculiar favourite of the natives ; its in-
toxicating nature procures alleviation to the poor
distressed Indian, softens the acuteness of poignant
refleCtion, and delights the imagination with
every Utopia of bliss: no wonder, then, that
these inoffensive associates of human society,
should seek a softener of their cares, which na-
ture has so judiciously and humanely allotted
them, its the recluses of their country ; she has
every where provided an asylum for the afflicted, a
solace to the oppressed, and the means of comfort-
ing and exhilirating human nature under the se-
verest trials. The Areka-nut is most frequent in
the provinces of Siam, Molucca, Cambodia, and
Cochin China ; it is more prolific along the eastern
coast of the Bay of Bengal, and flourishes in the
neighbouring isle! of Sumatra, Palo, Penany,
The East India Company purchase tire ammo-
nia's, a measure of 20,000 arekas, or about 260
pounds weight, for about e,eoo fettus, equal to
9s. bd. English, although individuals pay equiva-
lent to three-pence a pound. The Betel is culti-
vated in most parts of India, and not dissimilar to
the growth of hops, the leaf approaching the laurel,
and the blossom the pear, it forms a petty appear-
ance ; and the leaf, with the Areka, and Chtinam,
a lime produced from calcined shells, furnishes one
of the greatest luxtnies in the whole E sstetn empire.
It is ranked among the accomplishments ; is every
where presented as the first offering uf friendship,
and denoted in every station, as the emblem of the
highest respect. The soil most adapted for the cul-
ture of the Betel, is a rich loam, or heavy el.'', and,
like the manchineal of Barbadoes, skirts the coasts
of the ocean. It may not be, perhaps, irrelevant
at this place to take notice of a circornstance of the
hlanchmeal, not less singular than the Betel attach.
ing itself to the Areka, and forming to each other
an equilibrium that correas the too potent qualities
contained in them separately, that m;ght otherwise
defeat the end for which they were designed.—
In every place where the growth of the Manchineal
exists, it is accompanied by a proteftive plant. that
Hillard; a juice which searches the progress of the
poison, and secures the untorianate person frau
becoming its viaim. In like mariner, the rattlesnake-
' root is a safe antidote against the bite of that rep-
tile. The value of the nut, when it has been to be
purchased in this country, is from 95. 6d. to ss. a
pound, and when properly levigated, produces not
more than from three no four ounces ; the manner
of distinguishing their goodness is. b. bog free from
holes, or any appearance where g! kit), have ins.Tted