140 THE PALMS OF ASIA. 



the northern coast of Sumatra. This is of a 

 light brown colour, the grains large and not 

 easily broken. The sago of Borneo is the next 

 in value. It is whiter, but more friable. The 

 produce of the Moluccas, though greatest iu 

 quantity, is least esteemed. The cost of granu- 

 lated sago from the hands of the grower or pro- 

 ducer, is about a dollar (four shillings and two- 

 pence) per j^icitl (133| pounds.) In the market 

 of INIalacca, the sago of Siak may be had at two 

 or three dollars (eight shillings and fourpence to 

 twelve and sixpence) per picul. The Chinese 

 have invented a process by which they give sago 

 a fine pearly lustre ; but not more than four hun- 

 dred or five hundred piculs of this are manufac- 

 tured. In European commerce, two kinds of sago 

 are commonly met with, pearl sago and brown 

 sago. This pearl sago is not the same as the Chi- 

 nese article just named ; it has no pearly lustre, 

 and occurs in small white grains, often slightly 

 tinged with brown. The brown sago is in much 

 larger grains, and commonly more tinged with 

 brown ; it is, however, the better article of the 

 two. Both kinds are almost entirely soluble in 

 boiling water, forming a thick, starch-like solu- 

 tion, which may be used as a pudding, or pre- 

 pared in other ways, as a light, digestible, and 

 nutritive article of diet for invalids and childreu. 



