Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1861-12-13
From The T.ehsoLs,.,.
Vegetable Products Of Siam.

Arrca osiooAa. slender graceful palm, V
extensively cultivated for its iruis, known
under the name Of betsl.nuts. % largely EN-.
ployet In ehesius BY the S,smsss, and other
Eastern nations. - a6Oriing . stmslant.
IL has bssu observed that the Asiane ma
tiOus woald rather foreso meat and drink
than their favor,,e betsl.nuts. A small
quantity are exported to China. May and
June are the mOo,hs when the largest qusn.
iiiy can be procured; bu, though an article
Of very large consumption in the country. 10
!. no, grown 10 any extent for expectation.
whs, is exported is mostly grown al Pe,iio.
and down the we.t coast oi the Gulf.
The leaf Of tho es.sl pepper (P,Por befeb
j. in-sparabie from the use Of the betel. nut.
the Kernel Of which is wappcd In . Leaf OF
that plant, over which small quantity OF
quick lime 70 sprrad. TO which hne pink
color 10 gwen by mixing /, With rhir1ue Of
the Csr,umd !oasa, on tuusrie. The rhi'
Ione. as already observed. form. one OF the
chief Ingredient. Of the corrJ powder. VI
India.
Among the fhrcs Of plants grown in
sam. useful for textile fabrics, a specie. Of
hemp has been exported. which Is said to
Be prepared from plant resembling 4 net.
tie in appearance. This has probably bccn
obtained from the UrIod fo1sc nrnd. the
fibre. Of which have ,csn pronounced iden,.
ical with the celebrated China grass. The
real hemp 70 likewise cultivated. not %
much for iis fb-rs. as tor extracting It's in'
toI'cA,ing aud narcotic qualities, Tor the
preparation Of the h..h-csh Of the Arabs.
or guneha Of the Siamese. which 10 uIci for
the sane purposes {. opium, producing,
when beng smoked. eIhilars,in: effects,
with sab.oqOsn, pro.uasion and sleep. The
cultivation Of cotton ha. no, received that
attention which IL deserves. Small quanu.
tics are produced in the Laos country.
sample. Of which I have transmitted 10 'he
English Government. The great distance
Of the country where II !. at present Guilt
,aicd. and the discul,y Of transport t.
Bangkok iror, the interior. have 20 doaSt
iujur,ously operated in preventing the de-
velopmen, Of trade. Judging IRON the
countries that produce cotton, which have
visited namely. the United States. The
We, lndi,.. AMI Guiana--l zee no reason
why the alluyiAl district. Of Siam should
no, prodacs a. dne cotton as the countries
previously stated. \ van, IL seriously felt
% eacc, an extensive euliivs,iou--nanely.
the scarcity Of lahorv--. The distance Of
the country where cotton 10 cultivated. IRON
Bangkok. is very great and as the article
Is 50 balky TOR transport in canoes down the
river. thi. i. one OF the Circumstance. which
has operated against greater Development
Of thi. trade. To obsis's this dithealiy, IN
some desrvs, the Engli.h Government has
included. among the present.. forsardei 10
the sovereign. OF sam. a hydrauiis pres.
TO eomprv-, the cotton into bales.
\ substance called .ilk or tree cotton, !.
much employed by the S,anese. Tor 'suang
beds. cushions. sc. TIL. is the produce Of
different specie. II Bop.laI and T. 'OdenSroH.
very Isrs, trees. the see!s Of which are en-.
,eloped 10 long hairs, but, 4, they do hot
spin ike cotton. in Consequence OF no adhs.
SION existing between the hairs. the sub.
stance loses its inPor.Ance. eIcsPt as en-
ployed for the purposes mentioned.