276 General Notices. 



writers, placed at the head of the native lists of fruits, its delicious and 

 delicate flavor having gained it a place, in the estimation of Europeans, 

 over the rich and luscious Durian. In my opinion — though both of these 

 are exceedingly fine, — the Lansat (Lansium,) when well ripened, lias a pe- 

 culiar aromatic flavor, combined with all the delicacy of the mangustin, 

 which renders its firm, transparent, and jelly-like pulp more agreeable. 

 The mangustin (Garcinia mangustina) is as large as a moderate apple — dark 

 purple outside, but, when cut, of a bright crimson, the seeds being embed- 

 ded in a white, grateful pulp. The durian (Durio zibethinus,) the strong 

 odor from which disgusts many Europeans, is from nine to twelve inches 

 in length ; of this fruit there are many kinds, some without the offensive 

 odor. A species of mangustin " produces the gamboge of commerce, 

 which exudes also in small quantities from the cultivated varieties." The 

 lansat is one of the finest fruits of the island ; it is small, and produced in 

 bunches from the stem and branches of the Lansium. Two kinds of bread 

 fruit exist in Borneo. The tampui is an orange-colored fruit, produced on 

 a small sapotaceous tree, with large dark-colored leaves ; its pulp is of a 

 sweetish acid; its fermented juice makes an intoxicating liquor, much es- 

 teemed by the Dyaks. The rhambut-an (Nephilium) is produced in 

 bunches terminally. The varieties of mango (Mangifera) are very numer- 

 ous, but not of fine flavor. Several kinds of jambu (Eugenia) are grown, 

 but are not held in high esteem. The climbing (Averrhoa,) of which 

 there are two kinds, is used in cookery. 



There is a sketch of the zoology and mineralogy of Borneo, but the 

 greater part of the volume is occupied with an account of the history, cus- 

 toms, and institutions of the Borneans. — Low's Saraivak — Its Inhabitants. 



Mushrooms. — We grow here a good many mushrooms on the old system, 

 generally one bed out of doors, another in the shed, about thirty feet long 

 each. Last winter the bed in the shed did not come into bearing at the 

 time I expected. About the beginning of March, I put on a lining of warm 

 manure, about two feet thick, and it remained on for a couple of weeks, 

 when, the bed being warm, it was taken off, and the bed covered with straw 

 hurdles. In three days I found the mushrooms coming, but very sparingly, 

 and they continued to come, but were nothing of a crop. The manure that 

 was taken off was put into a trench for cucumbers, in the month of April, 

 and, by the latter end of May, the mushrooms came up on the ridge quite 

 thick, and continued to do so during the whole of the summer till the month 

 of October, when the ridge was planted with cauliflowers for hand glasses, 

 and then they sprung up. The leaves of the cucumbers sheltered them 

 from the hot sun. I generally gathered three times a week. To get mush- 

 rooms in the hot months of summer, in the open air, is desirable, — {Guard. 

 Journal, 1848, p. 230.) 



Lachenahas for Spring Flowering. — Those who neglect to grow a num- 

 ber of the available bulbous plants in pots, for the decoration of their green- 

 houses in early spring, forego a great amount of the variety and attract- 

 iveness of which they are capable. Foremost in this group of plants (not 

 commonly grown) we should place the Lachenalias. The habit of these 



