190 



THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. [September i, 1882. 



neatU the Rambeh trees (Pierardia dulois) were loaded 

 with long hanging racemes of fruit, while largn clumps 

 of Salak (Zsilacca eHuli-), Licualas, Bauhinias, Poin- 

 oiana pulcherrinia, Ixoras, &c., served to diversify the 

 vegftation, Some fine native giowu coffee was passed, 

 laden with ripe fruit, and further on a thriving nuimeg 

 plantation was passed through. Further on, where 

 the jungle road begins, there was little to interest — 

 Ehodouiyrtus, Grewias, Mussa'uda and Melastoma 

 forming the larger part of the vegetation. 



'lire moc!e of cultivating tapioca in the Straits 

 varies but little on different estates, whetlier owned 

 by Europeann or Chinese. If jungle composed of 

 large tries is (o be cleared thn trees are cut down at 

 some height from the ground, the stumps remaining 

 in the ground and the whole set on hre, the charred 

 remains of the treis being generally allowed to lie 

 where they fall until the first crop is being cleared iff", 

 when they are utilized for fuel. After the ground has 

 been dug over and the soil put into a friable con- 

 dition the cuttings of tapioca are planted in rov,s from 

 3 'o 4 feet apart and about 9 inches or a foot in the 

 rows. The cuitings are lengths about a loot long of the 

 stem of the matured plant. These root easily, and in 

 Jess than two months the ground is covered with a carpet 

 of green almost a foot high. From this time to the time 

 the crop is lifted, beyond weeding and slightly banking- 

 up, nothing is done to the crop, although on Boine estates 

 the tall stems are sometimes cut down to about 4 

 feet from the ground, which must evidently keep the 

 plants in a growing state, and prevent the proper 

 storage of starch. On somi- estates 1 have known the 

 crop lifted nine months after planting, with good 

 results; but the Chinese planters in iVJalacca usually 

 keep the roots in the ground sixteen or even eighteen 

 mouths. Perhaps each has its advantages, but it has 

 struck mo that tubers kepi in the ground over a 

 year develop a large amount of woody tiljre without 

 increasing the tpiantity of starch, which is evidently 

 a disadvantage to tin' machinery. The general mode 

 of lifting the crop is to cut off a ccrtidu portion of 

 the tops, and pull up the tubers, the broken p eces 

 being dug out afterwards. Of course, on land that 

 has previously carried a tapioca crop, manure should 

 De used which by some planters is applied previous 

 to ijlanting, and by others after the young plants 

 have started into growth. In Malacca, however, cow- 

 shed refuse* is a scarce article, and the cost of carri- 

 age would be considerable where estates are distant 

 from the base of supply and roads in many instances 

 steep and bad. 



On one estate in Singapore under European man- 

 agement a green crop is grown with the tapioca, 

 consisting principally of Arachis hypogaea, various 

 Crotalarias, principally C. striata, &c., which is dug 

 in with lime, &c., while green, for the next crop, but 

 the plan does not appear to find acceptance with 

 other planters. The root of the tapioca it is hardly 

 necHBsury to describe here, but I may state that while 

 in Malacca I saw some specimens over 2 feet lung, 

 and weiyhing betwc'-u 6 aud 7 lb. Thu roots being 

 laid in heaps are carted to the manufactory, and the 

 sticks laid in stacks for supplying cuttings for the 

 next crop. 



The estate tirst visited in Malacca was Bukit Bruang 

 (literally Bear Hili), and here we found J. M. Lyon 

 & Co.'s patent machinery in full working order. 



Of course steam is the motive power : in fact the 

 most primitive styles of preparation seem unable to 

 do without this, as I will show later on. The roots, 

 being fir=t divested of their woody tops, are thrown 

 into a large revolving drum, in which pipes are so 

 arranged that constant jets of water pj..y on them as 

 they are turued over and over, and gradually they 

 reach the farther end of the drum perfecily clean, and 

 empcy thumaelves into a rasping machine, whence 



they emerge in the form of a fine pulp, which is thrown 

 direct from the rasper into anotlier cylinder covered 

 either with stout muslin or brass-wire g>iuze, through 

 the sides of which jets of water are continually pass- 

 ing. By this process the starch is separated from the 

 pulp, the starch passing through the muslin or gauze 

 into a tank beneath, where further supplies of water 

 send it off through gutters to vats prepared for its 

 reception, while the pulp is discharged from the drum 

 into baskets and thrown into heaps either for cattle 

 feeding or manure, for either of which 1 imagine it is 

 little suited. 



After the starch in the vats has been allowed to 

 subside the water is gradually drawn off, fresh water 

 supplied, the whole stirred up and again allowed to 

 subside, and the water again drawn off. The treat- 

 ment of the starch in this stage depends on the purity 

 of the water used — as, unless the tapioca when pre- 

 parad is of the purest whitenes;', it can hardly be given 

 away. Hence, oue of the principal points to be 

 attended to is the supply of clean water in abundance. 

 After the starch has become sufficiently pure it is 

 allowed to dry in the vats, whtnce it is cut out in 

 cakes and is then ready for the last stage of prepar- 

 ation. If tapioca floui is required it is placed first 

 on racks to dry, then on large, almost flat tin sheets 

 which form the top of a brick Hue wheiean extremely 

 gentle fire is ktpt up. 



If flake tapioca is requisite it is submitted to rather 

 stronger heat in concave pans at first, whence it is 

 removed to the previously mentioned sheets and kept 

 turued over with wooden rakes, &c. , until it assumes 

 the flake-like form so familiar to consnmers in Europe. 

 The flakes are then sifted, to separate the various sizes, 

 and the prepared tapioca is ready for placing in the 

 bags for shipment. 



After a liberal tifhn, for which we were indebted 

 to the proprietor of the estate, Mr. Cliea Hoon Bong, 

 we started for an estate some 8 miles farther on be- 

 longing to Mr. Koh Hoon Boh (the name of which I 

 have unfortunately forgotten, and as I have mislaid 

 all my notes about our tirst day's trip I am obliged to 

 fall back on memory for particulars). 



Now commenced the real business of the day. The 

 road from Bukit Bruang to this estate is in some 

 places so steep and bad that only light traps are avail- 

 able, hence it became necessary for either my com- 

 panion or myself to drive while our Chinese hosts 

 came on behind in another carriage. As it soon 

 became apparent that unless I drove we should remain 

 behind at Bukit Bruang, I was compelled reluctantly 

 to take the ribbons, more especially as I found that 

 our united weight amounted to close on 3*2 stone, 

 to say nothing of the syce, who would be compelled 

 to hang on behind somehow. The road did not belie 

 our expecfcitions, as it lies mostly through tapioca 

 estates, and cat up by constant bullock-cart traffic, 

 with the end of charred trees projecting on one 

 side, and living ones with enormous buttresses jut- 

 ting out on the other, combined with stiff inclines 

 and declines and sharp corners, so that it was out 

 of the question altogether to think of looking at the 

 vegetation as w^e passed. 



Arrived at our destination, we found the machinery 

 is splendid order, in three hours putting through 

 ]'20 piculs (a pieul is 133 lb.) of roots, one-fifth of 

 which would be tapioca eventually. On this estate 

 about 20,000 acres are under cultivation. Eeaching 

 Bukit Bruang on the return journey safely, we 

 changed veliicles, and arrived at Malacca at 8. p.m., 

 visiting a very flourishing nutmeg plantation belong- 

 ing to Mr. Koh Hoon Boh on the way, and leaving 

 our ho.spijable friends at their estates. 



Arrived in Malacca, we found ourselves pretty well 

 tired, but our labours were by no means yet at an end. 

 My companion had declined sevei'al country invit- 



