AGRICULTURAL BULLETIN 



01' THE 



5TKAIT5 



AND 



FEDERATED MALAY 5TATE5. 



No. 11.] NOVEMBER, 1910. [Vol. IX 



CHILIS AS A CATCH-CROP. 



The demand for Chilis or capsicums by natives for local con- 

 sumption is very large. They are used both fresh and dry, and the 

 chief source of supply of dried Chilis in the Malay Peninsula is India, 

 whence very large quantities are exported to Singapore and Penang. 

 It seems absurd that in a country like this we cannot grow all the 

 Chilis we require for local consumption, but not only have we, it seems, 

 ever been able to supply a sufficiency of dried Chilis, for the demand, 

 but during the past two or three years fresh chilis have been so scanty 

 that the price had gone up from 6 to 10 cents a catty to 40 to 50 cents 

 a catty. 



The reasons for their scarcity in Singapore are several. During 

 the past few years, it is said by the Chinese, that the weather has been 

 bad, too much rain at the wrong time, so that the Chilis rot. This rot 

 is due to a fungus attacking the fruit of which I will give an account 

 later, and no doubt excessive wet would increase the development of 

 this pest. Another reason for the scarcity is the fact that large areas 

 of ground which were formerly vegetable gardens have been converted 

 into rubber estates. Chilis and other vegetables could, of course, be 

 grown as catch-crops at least in the early years between the rubber 

 trees with benefit both to the trees and to the planter, but somehow 

 this is not done. The Chinese also affirm that vegetables cannot be 

 grown without manure, of which they hold night-soil the best. Ob- 

 jections have been raised to growing vegetables with night-soil 

 anywhere near town for sanitary reasons, and the result has been a 

 notable scarcity of vegetables, all of which are now very expensive. 

 Indeed, we are informed such vegetables as pumpkins, brinjals, cab- 

 bage, etc., are at prices which are prohibitive to the poorer classes. 

 With these cultivations Chilis, which, also require in our poor soil a 

 good deal of manure, have also risen very high in price. Vegetables, 



