313 



». 



of the seed by wind. The fruit itself is, roughly speaking, oval, 

 in length about three inches ; but in the bazaar it is difficult to find 

 a whole specimen as the pericarp has been removed and the seed 

 broken up. If this Engkabang seed be squeezed an oil oozes out ; 

 by merely indenting a seed with the finger nail this can be at 

 once seen. The fat has recommended itself to natives of Sarawak 

 — there are no religious objections to its use ! — as of great value 

 in cookery, and for this purpose large quantities of solid fat are 

 extracted by a simple process of squeezing. The surplus seed is 

 sold to the Chinaman, and in this bazaar the market price is five 

 dollars per picul at the present time. Encouraged by such a high 

 price, it has been planted extensively by certain enterprising Sea 

 Dayaks of Saribas. 



Botanically the tree is a Shorea (S. gysbertiana, I believe*) : 

 it is common in lowland jungle, being particularly abundant in 

 the districts of the Rejang, Lundu, Sadong, and Upper Sarawak. 



" Engkabang asu — This is a smaller fruit, being not much more 

 than an inch long. It also has five wings, the three larger ones 

 reaching a length of six inches. The tree is common about 

 Kuching and is known to Sea Dayaks as Engkabang rambai or 

 buah lijan. It is another species of the genus Shorea. 



"Engkabang Changai is still smaller and the fruit has five 

 wings only about § inch long. To Sea Dayaks it is known as 

 Enteglam or Teglam, and I believe that this is also synonymous 

 with Engkabang Tanggoi (Sea Dayak) and Engkabang terindak 

 (Malay). To natives the oil of Teglam is perhaps the most 

 esteemed of all, partly because it will keep for years in good 

 condition. Botanically it is a Dipterocarp, apparently Jsoptera 

 bomeensis. 



" In the market these two latter kinds of Engkabang appear 

 mixed up together and thev sell for $2.80 per picul. The mixture 

 comes from the Rejang district, Lundu, Upper Sarawak and 

 Saribas. 



" It seems quite possible that there is a great future for these fat 

 producing Dipterocarps. The fat is apparently well suited for soap 

 making, and at present the only objection to the Engkabangs as a 

 source of vegetable fats for the European market lies in the fact 

 that one can never be certain when the fruit season will appear. 

 It is true that all the trees fruit at about the same time, but the 

 period of fruiting may be at intervals of 5, 6, 7, or even 10 years. 

 It is quite possible, however, that by cultivation and suitable 

 selection a good strain could be produced which would solve this 

 difficulty. 



" We may mention that this class of tree, the Dipterocarps, has 

 other good qualities to recommend it, vis., the wood is often ot 

 excellent quality (e.g., Engkabang pinang, Mahang besi and Loon}; 

 in some cases an oil (minyak kruing) is obtained by a very simple 

 process from the trunk ; and to this class belong the camphor and 

 dammar producing trees. Finally, there are several other jungle 



• [Under 5. gyshertlana in the Herbarium, Kew, the following- °<^ c , u »jj 

 ir Hugh Low ? " ' Bunk Tansanan-', ' from this a useful oil is extracted. ** 



also Low, Sarawak, pp. 46-47.]— ED 



