3ii 



Penang in 1805, but this seems to have been mainly Batavia Su if 

 The date at which sugar was introduced into the Malay Peninsula 

 is lost in antiquity, but probably not later than the first occupation 

 by the Portuguese. 



Many varieties were introduced by the Botanic Gardens in Singa- 

 pore. MURTON introduced 20 varieties in 1878 and more next 

 and distributed cuttings to Province Wellesley, Perak, Kedah and 

 other parts of the Peninsula; CantLEY introduced 44 varieties in 

 1883 and 56 about 1888 and other varieties were introduced t 

 time to time; CURTIS, in 1898, raised a quantity of cane from se< d 

 and distributed it to Province Wellesley and Perak. 



The chief cultivation for Sugar-making has always been in Pro- 

 vince Wellesley and Lower Perak, but eating cane is cultivated 

 everywhere. 



Fibres. 



A great deal of work connected with plants possessing com- 

 mercially useful Fibres was done at the Botanic Gardens, not only 

 by introduction of useful plants but by experimenting with them. 

 Among the plants of this group introduced by the Botanic Gardens 

 are : — > 



Green Aloes. 



Fourcroya longoeva 



1879 





F. gig ant ea 



1882 





F. macrophylla ... 



1897 



Raphia Fibre. 



Raphia Ru ffia 



1876 



Manila Hemp. 



Musa textilis 



1876 



Agaves various 





1 88 1 & later 



Sanseviera 



zeylanica 



1879 



S. 



guineensis 



1879 



S. 



cylindrica 



1879 



and many other species till 



1904 



Cuba bast 



Paritium elatum 



1879 



Urera tenax 





1893 



Musa Malaccensis 



i893 



Cotton was introduced much earlier and a history of its cultiva- 

 tion has already appeared in the Bulletin, but many, in fact most of 

 the known strains, were obtained, cultivated and distributed to 

 different parts of the Peninsula from the Botanic Gardens. 



Fodder Grasses. 

 A great many fodder plants were introduced and experimented 

 with at different times, including Teosinte [Euchloena luxuriant) 1 879. 

 Panicun spectabile from Kew, 1880, Guinea grass 1876, and others, 



Vegetables. 



Most of the vegetables regularly cultivated are of native origin. 

 English vegetables were introduced many years ago by Dr. OXLEY, 

 and later by MURTON, and vegetable seed was also introduced on 

 very many occasions later by the Botanic Gardens' Directors. The 



