The island of Bintang contains about six thousand Gambir plantations, the larger ones consisting each of from eighty to a hundred thousand trees; the smaller plantations, or, as named by the Malays, gardens, contain from three to four thousand. The shrubs are in full bearing, and covered with foliage, ten months in the year; but during December and January, the leaves change to a yellow colour, and consequently are then in an unfit state for producing the extract. Of course, at some parts of the year, the Gambir manufacturers have nothing to do, the shrubs not being in a fit state for pruning; but if the demand for the extract is very great, the rack-renters will, even at the risk of destroying the plantation, cut off the branches, and convert both them and the leaves into extract. There are at present upwards of eight hundred plantations in Rhio, completely ruined by this system, which took place in the month of April last, at which time Gambir extract was in very great demand. One boiling-house, or manufactory, is usually attached to about every forty Gambir plantations. It may be observed, that during the rainy season the extract produced is of an inferior quality to that which is made during hot, dry weather, although the foliage being in greater proportion, more extract is yielded by them. During the wet season, vegetation is very rapid in its progress on the shrubs: if stripped entirely of their foliage, it is not an uncommon circumstance, in the space of five days, to see them renewed, and covered with verdure. The production of Gambir, during the year 1829, amounted to thirty-one thousand peculs; in 1830, it amounted to thirty-five thousand peculs; in 1831, to forty-seven thousand peculs; in 1832, to sixty-three thousand peculs; and for the present year, 1833, will amount to full seventy thousand peculs; and each pecul, of one hundred and thirty-three pounds, pays to the Dutch government the sum of eight rupees, which, at seventy thousand peculs, brings to them the large annual revenue of five hundred and sixty thousand rupees. It is surprising that no place has yet been found in the Eastern Archipelago from whence Gambir can be procured that can at all compete in quality with that produced at Rhio. The island of Lingin produces a quality next to that of Rhio; and it is worthy of remark, that Rhio owes its good name to Lingin, as the Gambir, the produce of that island, was not held in any estimation, until Rhio planters (Chinese) went to Lingin to acquire the art of manufacturing it; and they also brought with them the Gambir plants from that place to Rhio, where it was found to thrive and produce a better extract than at Lingin. A Gambir plantation, after it has attained three years’ growth, may be considered capable of yielding good extract, and will continue to do so, if properly attended to, for the space of nine or ten years.