Ch. XYI.] GAMBOGE-TEEE. 269 



a friend, forwarded some of this substance to the Society of 

 Arts. There it met with no immediate attention, and was 

 put away uncared for. A year or two afterwards Dr. Mont- 

 gomery sent specimens to England, and, bringing it under 

 the notice of competent persons, its value was at once 

 acknowledged, and it rapidly became an important commo- 

 dity. In any case it was introduced from Singapore ; 

 and the sudden and great demand for it soon resulted 

 ia the disappearance of all the gutta-percha trees in 

 Singapore island. The forests of Johore, however, yield 

 a vast supply ; though these must fail in time, when it 

 is borne in mind that to abstract the juice the tree is 

 always cut down, the produce of a single tree averaging 

 11 or 12 lbs. 



With regard to Gamboge (Cambogia gutta), it has never 

 been regularly cultivated in Singapore. The late Mr. 

 d'Almeida, already referred to, introduced some trees from 

 Siam, but simply as a matter of curiosity and for experi- 

 mental purposes. These trees have not been protected in 

 any way, but nevertheless they thrive well ; and the soil evi- 

 dently is well suited to them. The plantation ia which they 

 were placed has changed hands, and no care has been taken 

 of the trees ; but tho^ I saw were green and flourishiug, 

 bearing abundance of flower, and fruit, and yielding, upon 

 the slightest incision, an abundance of yeUow resinous juice. 

 In their immediate neighbourhood are numerous healthy 

 seedlings springing up uncared for ; and I was assured that 

 the seeds carried by bu-ds have been taken to spots at a 

 distance from the trees originally planted ; and one of the 

 largest and healthiest trees I saw was pointed out to me as 

 one which had grown there spontaneously, and probably 

 owed its origin to this cause. I preserved specimens of 



