33* 



merce besides the Chinese Cassia bark, which is obtained from 

 Sumatra, and is probably Cinnamomum Culitlawan, Bl., and a 

 similar tree occurs in the forests of the Peninsula. Most of the 

 Cinnamons are highly aromatic and possibly several others might 

 be used in place of C. Cassia. 



Pepper-oil has been distilled from Black Pepper {Piper nigrum) 

 for many years. Indeed it is recorded as having been prepared 

 as early as 1574. It is chiefly used medicinally. For sometime 

 it was prepared in Singapore where I am informed the natives 

 considered it a specific against cholera. Piperonal or He'iotropine 

 is prepared from white Singapore pepper, in Europe. It has a 

 scent of heliotrope. 



Cubebs [Piper cubeba) also produces an oil valued in medicine. 

 The cubeb plant was formerly much cultivated in Java and Sumatra 

 (Bulletin 1st Series No. 6, p. 121), and the price of the pepper was 

 very high. It has fallen, however, much in price and the cultiva- 

 tion has pretty w^ell died out of the Straits. 



Oil of Betle leaves [Piper belie, L.) has been, it appears, repeat- 

 edly prepared and investigated, but apparently has been found of 

 little value though it is a somewhat peculiar oil. The leaves of the 

 plant are, as is well known, used for chewing by the Malays with 

 areca nut, and in good demand for this purpose. 



Oil of Patchouli [Po^ostemon Patchouli). — The cultivation of 

 this plant is described in No. 3 of the first Series of Agricultural 

 Bulletin. Although the plant has been introduced into several 

 other parts of the world, it does not seem to have been particularly 

 successful, as the greater portion of the Patchouli of commerce 

 still comes from the straits Settlements. It is raised from cuttings 

 and when sufficiently tall, cut and dried in the sun. The leaves 

 being either sent home dry or the oil distilled in Singapore. The 

 bulk of Patchouli oil is probably distilled in Europe. It is used 

 exclusively in perfumery. 



The oil of the common Lantana (L. Cauiara, L.) has been dis- 

 tilled at Buitenzorg. Its odour is stated to be not particularly 

 pleasant and unfortunately no use has been found for it. 



The sweetly scented Lagundi tree Vitex tt if alia has also been 

 put through the still and produces an aromatic camphor-like oil. 

 It is a common seashore shrub or small tree, with sweet scented 

 leaves, and panicles of violet flowers. It is used medicinally by 

 natives. 



Oil of Sweet Basil, Ocymuui basilicum, L. The "Ruku' of the 

 Malays is a strongly scented little bush,. the leaves of which are 

 much valued for scenting clothes and also in medicine. It is com- 

 monly planted about villages, and establishes itself readily growing 

 from the seed. I have not heard of the oil being manufactured in 

 the Straits, but it is distilled in Southern France and Spain from 

 the fresh plant. The plant seems to be rather variable, and there 

 are sev< ral named varieties and allied species in cultivation, in the 

 East, and the account given in Gildemeister's work seems to 

 show that the oils from different localities have different consti 

 tuents. This is probably due in part at least to different varieties 



