34 VEGETABLES. 



of the soil and climate for the production of the finer 

 spices, should their cultivation be attended to -with 

 ordinary care. 



The heat of the climate, and the constant growth 

 consequent on its moisture, render it difficult to raise 

 European fruits and vegetables, though, when roads 

 are cut through the island, the mountains will be 

 found to produce these in perfection. In the low 

 lands it is useless to attempt the cultivation of the 

 former, though, by great perseverance on the part of 

 the gentleman above referred to, some kinds of vege- 

 tables have been obtained in considerable abundance : 

 of these, French beans, cucumbers, endive, tomatoes, and 

 asparagus, have succeeded best ; when I left, in June 

 last, many others, however, were looking very promising. 

 As on the mountains, the sides of all of which are 

 covered with productive soil, any climate and tempe- 

 rature may be obtained, it is probable that the new 

 settlement of Labuh-an will not be left in the same 

 destitute state for vegetables as Singapore, where 

 the few cabbages which are produced are cultivated in 

 flower-pots, and with great care. 



The Chinese in Sarawak have several gardens for 

 the production of native vegetables near the town. In 

 these are grown, in great perfection, the egg plants, 

 the fruit of which, under the name of ' brenjal,' is a 

 favourite vegetable; a large kind of radish, which, 

 cooked, very much resembles the turnip in flavour. 

 Sweet potatoes, yams,earthnuts (Arachis hypogcea), and 

 various kinds of leguminous plants (kachang), cucum- 



