414 
scutching machine has been accepted exports should go forward 
moderately in 1894, but on a large and increasing scale in the following 
and future years. 
The gonecidly accepted standard of 600 plants to the acre, is now in 
many cases being changed to 300 and in some instances to If 
this increased number be not found to impede harvesting by the 
inconvenient crowding of the plants, the yield per acre should, of course, 
be largely augmented. ‘The estimated annual yield of a single Adr is 
1,200 1 
two pounds of fibre, and thus, instead of a return of 1 . from 
the earlier rete. of 600 suckers, assuming that the eed are nof 
modified by want of room for the full development of the plants, 
2,000 lbs. will fo pom jipaka yield where 1,000 plants are given to 
the acre 
(Signed) A. SHEA. 
CCOCXXVIII. —SAGO QU LTIVATION IN NORTH 
BORNEO. 
J The sago of < commerce s kind pL hate ee ap 
internal stems of certain pals iiiv of the Malay Archipelago, Borneo, 
New Guinea, and possibly [y of Fiji. The word sago or sagu is said to. be 
Papuan for bread. 
There are two well-recognised species of sago palms. The smooth or 
spineless sago palm (Metroxylon Sagu) is specially abundant in Sumatra 
and adjacent islands. It does not reach so far eastward as New Guinea. 
In North Borneo it is known as rumbia benar. Wet rich soils, especi- 
ally at the base of mountains, are its favourite localities. This species 
is regarded as the principal botanical source of the sago received in 
Eur 
"Pls Quéfuf sago palm (Metroxylon Rumphit) is found further east 
than the other x anni It is plentiful in New Ginas, and in the 
Tae and Ambo 
ago palms riso bts each other in general appearance, but the 
acri is a * riae tree, and it has its leafstalk and the sheaths enveloping 
the lower part of the flower spikes armed with sharp spines from 
an inch to about 1 inch long. It has, moreover, decided littoral 
tendencies, and is abundant along the shores of many small islands 
forming a dense impenetrable belt. In North Borneo the thorny sag 
palm is known as rumbia berduri or rumbia salak. 
Some sago is obtained from the sugar palm (Arenga sacehar ifera) 
after the plant is exhausted of its saccharine juice. The sago palm of 
err is Caryota urens. The farinaceous part of the trunk of old trees 
said by Roxburgh to equal the best sago from the Malay islands. In 
Chi ina, Japan, mi Behe sago, differing in character of the starch 
grains from p sago, is obtained from species of-Cycas such as 
he: EAER and C. RE The commercial Hii sok tiie? of the latter 
is very sli 
The clivation * the true sago palms is entirely confined to the 
„Eastern Ar Archipe 'The plan nts are difficult to grow elsewhere, and 
it is improbable, a the industry will extend beyond its present limits. 
Both species of Metrozylon are monocarpic aie die after the seeds are 
