AGRICULTURAL BULLETIN 



OF THE 



STRAITS 



FEDERATED MALAY STATES. 

 2.] FEBRUARY, 1907. [Vol 



THE OIL-PALM, 



With Plate. 



The African Oil-palm is an abundant plant almost all over tropi- 

 cal Africa and has thence been distributed all over the world, 

 and grows and thrives in all parts of the tropics. It is very 

 common in cultivation in Singapore as an ornamental plant, as 

 it grows very readily and well and fruits regularly. Its fruits 

 produce the oil known as Palm-oil, which is exported extensively 

 from Africa, but of which no use is made in Eastern Asia. There 

 is no reason for its not being cultivated for profit as it gives a 

 good return in Africa at little expense, and Dr. PREUSS, who 

 knows the plant well in the German African Colonies where it is 

 an important article of trade was surprised on seeing how well and 

 quickly this plant grew in Singapore, that it was not cultivated 

 for profit, as he affirmed it was a more valuable palm than even 

 the coconut. 



An attempt to introduce the cultivation into Labuan was made 

 by Dr. (now Sir) Joseph Hooker in 1876. Mr. Treacher was 

 then Governor of Labuan, and took much interest in the idea. 

 The island of Daat was selected as a suitable locality and seed was 

 sent from which 700 plants were raised which throve well and 

 fruited, but ten years later were removed to make room for coconuts. 

 (Kew Bulletin 1889, p. 259). 



The plant has long been cultivated in Singapore. It was in the 

 Botanic Gardens in 1895, and is to be seen in almost all private 

 grounds. 



In Central and Western Africa it is one of the most important 

 economic plants and as Dr. PREUSS says it is the only plant in the 

 world which can with the least possible care, and without diminu- 

 tion of crop furnish a rich harvest for many decades. 



The annual exoort of Palm-oil and kernels from Africa is valued 



