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THE SAGO PALMS, BEEAD-FEriT, &C = 



herence of different numbers of tlie primary globules. The facility 

 with which this sago swells and is divided by water, has occasioned 

 it to be preferred as an article of food to the ancient sago. It 

 has been described by Pianche under the name of the white sago 

 of the Moluccas, and by Dr. Pereira under the name of pearl 

 sago. 



Bennet, in his work on " Ceylon and its Capabilities," (1843), 

 states that sago is procured from the graniilated pith of the 

 talipot palm, Corypha umhraculifera. 



The Sagus RiLmpTiii^ Willdenow, and *S'. farinifera, G-aertner. — 

 Before maturity, and previous to the formation of the fruit, the 

 stem consists of a thin hard wall, about two inches thick, and of 

 an enormous volume of tissue (commonly termed the medulla or 

 pitli), from which the farina or sago is obtained. As the fruit 

 forms, the farinaceous medulla disappears, and when the tree 

 attains full maturity, the stem is no more than a hollow shell. 

 Sago occurs in commerce in two states, pulverulent and granu- 

 lated. 1. The meal or flour as imported in the form of a fine 

 amylaceous powder. It is whitish, with a buffy or reddish 

 tint. Its odor is faint, but somewhat unpleasant and musty. 

 2. Granulated sago is of two kinds, pearl and common brown, 

 • The former occurs in small hard grains, not exceeding in size that 

 of a pin's head, inodorous, and having little taste. They have 

 a brownish or pinkish yellow tint, and are someAvhat translucent. 

 By the aid of a solution of chloride of lime they can be bleached, 

 and rendered perfectly white. The dealers, it is said, pay £7 

 per ton for bleaching it. Common sago occurs in larger grains, 

 about the size of pearl barley, which are brownish white. 



Sago is an article of exportation to Etirope, and is also shipped 

 to India, principally Bengal, and to China. It is in its granulated 

 form that it is usually sent abroad. The best sago is the produce 

 of Siak, on the north coast of Sumatra, This is of a light brown 

 color, the grains large, and not easily broken. The sago of Borneo 

 is the next in value ; it is whiter, but more friable. The produce 

 of the Moluccas, though greatest in quantity, is of the smallest 

 estimation. The cost of granulated sago, from the hands of the 

 grower or producer, was, according to Mr. Crawfurd, only a 

 dollar a picul. It fetches in the London market — common pearl, 

 20s. to 26s. the cwt., sago flour, 20s. the cwt. The Chinese of 

 Malacca and Singapore have invented a process by which they 

 refine sago, so as to give it a fine pearly lustre, and it is from 

 thence we now principally derive our supplies of this article. 

 The exports from Singapore in 1847 exceeded 6^ million pounds, 

 but are now much larger. 



The following is a description of the manufacture of this impor- 

 tant article of commerce : — The tree being cut down, the exterior 

 bark is removed, and the heart, or pith of the palm, a soft, white, 

 spongy and mealy substance is gathered ; and for the purpose of 

 distant transportation, it is put into conical bags, made of plan- 

 tain leaves, and neatly tied up. In that state it is called by the 



