THE PALAEOTROPICS 201 



tion. The natives cultivated the usual tropical food-plants, 

 especially the fruits, which include the choicest of all tropical 

 fruits, the mangosteen and durian. 



Some fifteen or twenty years ago, however, rubber plantations 

 were established, and so profitable did they prove, that soon most 

 of the accessible lowland forest was cleared and planted to Para- 

 rubber (Hevea Brasiliensis) . So great has been the subsequent 

 development of the industry, that already there is great over- 

 production, and prices have fallen to a point which lenders many 

 plantations quite unprofitable. 1 



Ten years ago, the writer travelled through this region, and on 

 all sides the forests were being felled, and the trees burned to get 

 rid of them in order to make room for planting rubber. Only 

 occasionally along the railway was it possible to see bits of the un- 

 touched forest. From these remnants, however, it was plain that 

 the original forest was a very rich one, with a great variety of 

 lofty trees, and extremely luxuriant growth of lianas and epiphytes, 

 with an undergrowth containing many ferns, and other herbaceous 

 growths. Among the latter wild bananas were conspicuous, as 

 well as the somew r hat similar members of the ginger family. 

 Aroids, both terrestrial and climbing species, were abundant and 

 conspicuous. 



This is a typical rain-forest, and practically no deciduous species 

 occur, such as are so characteristic of the monsoon forests of Burma 

 and Indo-China. 



Palms in great variety are characteristic of the true Malayan 

 flora, and form a notable feature of the vegetation. Some are 

 dwarf species, comparable to the scrub palmettoes of our southern 

 states, and occur in the swamps and low ground. Others are lofty 

 trees with crowns of giant fan-shaped, or more commonly pinnate 

 leaves. The genera are mostly distinct from those of Africa and 

 India. Among the common dwarf-palms are species of Areca and 

 Pinanga, while in the mangrove swamps, the Nipa (X. fruticans), 

 is very common. The latter is wide-spread through much of the 

 Indo-Malayan region, and is extensively used for thatch and 

 mats, as well as for its fruit. 



1 Since the above was written, the action of the British Government restricting 

 the export of rubber from the East Indian plantations, has greatly increased the 

 market price. 



