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there has heen a very good fruiting season but unfortunately such years 

 of plenty are not frequent. Apparently these Engkabangs (the two 

 mentioned hereafter included) have their fruiting season all at the same 

 time but the interval of fruiting — in quantity at any rate — is usually 

 five, six, seven, or even more years. From a study of the trade returns 

 published in the Sarawak Gazette I find that Engkabang seeds were 

 exported in the following years : Feb. to Sept. 1903 a particularly good 

 season, the large quantity of 25,000 piculs being exported : — April 1897 

 a poor season : Oct. 1895 March 1896 a moderate season. In other 

 years small quantities are exported, a fact which, considering the very 

 great local demand, would indicate that Engkabangs fruit more frequent- 

 ly than is ordinarily supposed. 



According to native evidence their is some considerable variation 

 in the size of the ripe fruit and perhaps by suitable selection and 

 cultivation a good fruiting strain could be produced. 



In the Kuching bazaar the market price is now five dollars per 

 picul for the seeds : they come mostly from the Rejang river and some 

 also from Lundu, Sadong and upper Sarawak. 



Engkabang Asu. This is a smaller fruit being not much more than 

 an inch long : its three larger wings however reach a length of six 

 inches. The tree is common in lowland jungles but is not planted by 

 natives. It is known to Sea Dyaks as Engkabang rambai or buah 

 lijan. Botanically it is a Shorea (S. Pinanga, Scheff.) 



Engkabang changai is still smaller and the five wings of the fruit are 

 only about f inch long. To Sea Dyaks it is known as Enteglam or 

 Teglam and I believe this is also synonymous with Engkabang terindak 

 (Malay) and Engkabang tanggoi (sea Dyak). The oil of teglam is 

 perhaps the most esteemed of all amongst natives, partly because it 

 will keep for years in good condition. The tree is planted by sea 

 Dyaks. It also is a Dipterocarp — Isoptera borvecnsia. In the market 

 these two latter kinds of Engkabang appear mixed up together the mixture 

 now selling for $2.80 per picul : it comes from the Rejang district, 

 Lundu, Upper Sarawak and Saribas. 



There appear to be one or two other jungle Dipterocarps (e.g. 

 Brabutus or Mirabutus) whose fruits are occasionally sought after but 

 they are not so acceptable as the large Engkabang or the Teglam. 



The order of Sapotaccae has in Sarawak only one kind of fat 

 producing tree well known to natives and this is the Katio or Kachiau 

 or Ising. The tree grows fairly commonly near the Nipa palms in the 

 tidal swamps of the Saribas and Kalaka districts where the fruit is 

 much sought after. The fruit which is small in size has not been put 

 on the market the natives consuming the whole supply. Under 

 pressure the seeds yield a pale yellow liquid oil which has an odour of 

 bitter almonds. It is much esteemed by natives and the oil is valued 

 at one dollar per gantang. Botanically it is Bassia Motley ana. 



Another species of Bassia called Katio Antu is used for the same 

 purpose but is not so much valued the fat being rather bitter. The 

 tree grows further inland than the Katio proper. It is known to 

 natives that a number of other Sapotaceous trees produce fatty fruits 

 but only occasionally is the fat extracted, such is the case with the niato 

 minyak which has an oil like Katio, the niato rian, the niato babi and 



