3i5 



Agricultural Section. 



The exhibits of agricultural produce were contained in one 

 half of a long building the other half of which was devoted to 

 native industries. It had been agreed previously to allow com- 

 petition from any part of the Peninsula from the Isthmus of K'ra 

 to Singapore. Few exhibits however were received from the 

 northern States but all the others including for the first time 

 Johore were well represented. Exhibits of considerable interest 

 not for competition were also shown from Java and Borneo, 

 among them was conspicuous a large series of damars, sugar, tea, 

 oils, sago, nutmeg-butter, spices from Java and the Moluccas 

 exhibited by Mr. Diepenheim. 



The whole exhibit of agricultural produce was little if at all 

 inferior to that shown in Penang last year, but it must be remem- 

 bered that the greater distance of Singapore from the main agricul- 

 tural districts would to a certain extent curtail the amount of 

 produce brought down by rail and boat. 



All classes of agricultural produce were shown excepting clove 

 oil and boiled rice. 



The judges in this section were Mr. Diepenheim, Mr. L. Brown, 

 Mr. Hart, Mr. Bramall, Mr. Darke, Mr. Zacharias, Mr. Scouler, 

 Mr. Lovell and the Hon. Secretary, while several native 

 penghulus assisted in judging in the classes of articles of native 

 consumption. 



Arrowroot. — The prize for the best roots was taken for the third 

 successive show by Mr. H. H. Norris, whose sample would be 

 hard to beat. The whole of the specimens in this class were 

 good. 



Prepared arrow-root was also first class. There being several 

 samples of high merit. 



Tous-les-mois. — The rhizomes of Canna edulis were shown under 

 arrowroot. One sample was shown last year in Penang and this 

 time two were staged, one of which was exceptionally good and 

 obtained a special prize. This kind of arrowroot is popular with 

 the Javanese and its cultivation might well be developed. 



Betel nuts. — Fresh betel nuts were well shown, and there were 

 some fine clusters. A fine bunch of the popular variety known as 

 Pinang Wangi carried off the first prize. Hardly as many 

 were shown this year as last year and the same applies to dry and 

 split betel nuts of which however there were some fairly good and 

 superior samples. Specimens of the large red betel nut known as 

 Pinang Penawar (Actinorrhytis Calapparia)\\ere shown. The Malays 

 attach however little value to this fruit, it being chiefly used in 

 medicine and magic. 



Sirih leaves. — Were fairly represented with both Chinese and 

 Malay varieties, chiefly the latter which is more popular. The 

 samples were pronounced very good by the Malay connoisseurs who 

 aided in judging them. 



Medicinal plants. — The class for the collection of medicinal 

 herbs was very extensive, the largest ever shown. There were forty 



