3io 



at the Singapore Botanic Gardens, including Willoughbeia firma, 

 flavescens, Urceolas, several species, Chilocarpus and Melodinus, 

 Willoughbeia edulis was introduced from Assam, in 1898. 



Gutta Percha, the native Dichopsis gutta, was brought into cul- 

 tivation in 1877, by Mr. MURTON, who collected a quantity of plants 

 in Perak and elsewhere. There were, however, several old trees in 

 the Botanic Gardens' jungle which still persist. 



Dichopsis krantziana, of Saigon, was introduced in 1898 and Di- 

 chopsis calophylla, from Sumatra in 1898. 



Payena Leerii, the tree " Gutta Sundik," from Sumatra, was in- 

 troduced in 1898 and the local species distinguished from P. Leerii 

 by Pi ERR was brought to the Gardens some time before. Balata 

 (Mimusops globosa) was introduced first in 1885. The trees have 

 made but a poor growth for their age. 



Sago. 



The orginal home of the Sago palms is probably in the Moluccas. 

 Its cultivation is recorded from " Fanfur" apparently some part of 

 Sumatra and probably Kampar by MARCO POLO, in 1298. The in- 

 vention of converting the flour into Pearl Sago, was made by the 

 Chinese about 18 15. It is not clear when the plant was introduced 

 into the Malay Peninsula, but probably very early in Malacca. 

 KOENIG saw it there in 1779, LlNSCHOTEN in 1583, does not men- 

 tion it in the East Indies, but the early voyagers were more inter- 

 ested in drugs and spices than in local foodstuffs and so perhaps 

 does not notice it. 



Owing to its requiring low swamps for its cultivation, it is seldom 

 to be seen in large areas, but rather in patches. It is scattered thus 

 all over the Peninsula, and forms an important article of export. 



Tapioca. 



The Tapioca-plant seems to have been introduced early, but at 

 what date I cannot determine. It is not mentioned by LlNSCHOTEN 

 (1583) or KOENIG (1779), but the first record of it I have is in 1848 

 where it is mentioned as cultivated for food only by Little and 

 Balestier (Logan's Journal), together with sweet potatoes and 

 Colocasia antiquorum. It appears to have been first cultivated on a 

 big scale for making Tapioca-flour, in Malacca, about 50 years ago 

 by the VELGE family, and has continued in cultivation there ever 

 since. 



Mr. Cantley introduced, about 1886, a number of South Ameri- 

 can varieties which were distributed to various growers, as well as 

 to the Malacca Gardens. 



Sugar. 



Sugar appears to have been cultivated very early in Province 

 Wellesley. It is said indeed that there were Chinese plantations 

 there before the colonization of Penang. Sugar was exported from 



