5o8 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. [February t, 1888. 
This is stripped off by Chinamen using a hoe, with the 
b'ade set at an acute angle to the handle and the 
stuff is carried out of the pits in bamboo baskets by 
means of a yoke. The tin ground is dug out and 
brought up in the same way, and then subjected to a 
first washing in long wooden troughs ; the rich concent- 
rate is finally cleaned in a round woodeu dish about 
two feet in diameter and 2 inches deep in the middle — a 
batae, in fact, to use the Spanish name. The clean 
tin ore is sold to the smelters. 
The wash-dirt contains on an average 1 to 2 per cent 
of tin ore. 
The water in the pits is raised by endless chain 
pumps worked by over-shot water-wheels though some 
of the larger mines employ centrifugal pumps driven 
by steam-power. 
With the aid of the specimens of tools exhibited, and 
with a little knowledge of the working of alluvial de- 
posits, one could readily form a very fair mental pic- 
ture of the Perak tin diggings. 
The total quantity raised in Perak in 1884 was 10'190 
tons, valued at 3,640,924 dols. independently of what 
was obtained in other parts of the Straits Settle- 
ments. A little fine gold is washed out of the 
tin sand. 
The pamphlet entitled " Notes on the Straits Settle- 
ments and Malay States" (Price Zd.) has many pages 
devoted specially to Perak and its mines. 
Minerals and Gems. 
The Hon. D. F. A. Harvey, Malacca, exhibited 
specimens of stream tin and tin sands and 
specimens of ironstone &c from Johor and Geminchi 
gold-pit.- The Government of Perak showed wash and 
tin sand from various regions, gold bearing tin 
sand from Bitang Padang, and specimens of gold 
dust washed from tin sand from the same locality. 
Fruits. 
In the notes on Perak it is stated that tropical fruits 
are supposed by the great majority of English people 
to be far finer, richer, and better in every way than 
those grown in colder climates ; but according to the 
writer of the notes, such is not really the case. Malay- 
an fruits are admitted to exceed Euglish fruits in 
size and often in strength of flavour and odour, but it 
is claimed that the Euglish strawberry, pear cr peach 
(or?, green-bouse pine) is quite unequalled by anything 
grown in tropical "countries. This after all is purely 
a matter of opinion ; and the fact cited that Europeaus 
in the tropics ignore local fruits and fall back on tinned 
and bottled English fruits, is merely another way of 
saying that Europeans have certain set habits and tastes, 
and a love of " home " things, which they will not 
or cannot give up. It must be remembered, however, 
that tropical fruits have not, as a rule, received that 
careful and scientific culture which has been expended ou 
European fruits : in fact that they are practically wild 
fruits, more or b-ss indigenous to the country, and suited 
to be used only under the special circumstances in 
which they are found. A pine-apple grown in a 
tropical com, try and costing only a few pence may 
not be equal in size and flavour to a pineapple 
grown in an English hot-house and costing twice as 
many shillings. But what English fruity is so ' re- 
fie-hiog and so suitable for the composition of a 
raajiy well-cooked dish in the tropics as the lime? 
Opinions may differ as regards the special merits 
of the mangosteen, " fig "-banana, mango, cherimoya, 
freshly-gathered date, liteui, a really good orange, or 
a dozen other tropical fruits that may be named ; 
but if we take each one on its merits, and use it 
according to the circumstances and habits of the 
country in which it" is found, there are few, if any, 
Kngli.-h fruits that are so well adapted to refresh 
and revive flagging physical energies those we meet 
in the tropic*. 
Having said this n»uch by way of defence of Iropi- 
c») fruits, I turn .to the varied and interesting 
colli ctiotiS shown in the Court of the Straits Settlements. 
Thi/ chief price is taken by the pineapples of 
Singapore, which, preserved whole in syrup, have 
entered into commerce, and are now regularly 
supplied by London stores. The pineapple is canned 
arid shipped in a similar manner from the Bahamas, 
Fiji, and Natal; but owing probably 4o the greater 
enterprise shown by Singapore firms such as Bistiaui, 
Tye Seng Bee, and Nethersole & Co., each of whom 
have London agents, the Singapore pineapple has es- 
tablished itself as one of the best ia the market. 
There were stalls with a tasting-bar maintained at 
the Exhibition, which no doubt greatly contributed 
to make the Singapore fruit widely known. The Singa- 
pore Preserving Company, the Chasseriau Land and 
Planting Company, C. Favre & Co., J. Graham and 
others, exhibited an excellent series of tropical fruits, 
which attracted considerable attention. Many of these 
fruits, unfortunately, had only the native names 
both on samples and in the Catalogue, and hence 
were difficult to recognise. But the mangosteen, 
durian, mango, papaw, guava, pumelow, rambutan, 
banana, lemon, and bread-fruit were easily recognised. 
Tea. {Johor.) 
The nine samples exhibited comprise specimens 
of Souchong, Pekoe Souchong, Pekoe and Orange 
Pekoe. The teas possess fair flavour, but are capable 
of improvement both in the infusiou and iu make of 
the leaf. This will doubtless follow as the process 
of manufacture becomes better understood. 
About 300 acres are at present under tea cultivation, 
these appear to have been planted with Assam 
Hybrid seed not many years since. A few parcels 
of tea have recently been shipped to London and sold 
in the market. 
The climate on Johor is hot and damp, with an 
annual rainfall of about 90 inches. The soil, except 
in parts, is not rich. Labour is now chiefly imported 
from India. 
Coffee. 
Coffee does not appear to be grown in the British 
Settlements of Singapore, Penaug, and Malacca, ex- 
cept in gardens and on a very small scale ; but in 
the three Native States of Perak, Sungei Ujong and 
Selangor, taken under our protection in 1874, its 
cultivation has been introduced, and some interesting 
exhibits from Perak testify to the adaptability of the 
soil and climate for its production. 
In Perak, where mountain-ranges, reaching to 7,000 
feet, occupy a large portion of a well- watered country, 
a considerable acreage, above 1,000 feet elevation, is 
reported to be suitable for coffee cultivation, whilst 
the Liberian sort thrives on the lower slopes and 
the plains. In Selangor, planting has only been in- 
troduced during the last few years, whilst iu Sungei 
Ujong, estates have been established on the slopes 
of the Berumbun range which rises to a height of 
3,000 to 4,000 feet, and the cultivation of Liberian 
has been introduced on the lowlands. Of the four- 
teen exhibits from Perak five are from the experi. 
mental hill gardens opened by Government ; the 
sample marked hillgarden is strong and full flavoured, 
and worth 90s. ; those marked Waterloo and Jferinitage 
have probably suffered somewhat in drying, being 
coarse and musty in the cup, and worth 70s. and 
76s. Such kinds, if properly prepared on the spot, 
or in London, should the necessary appliances not 
exist at the plantations, and if perfectly sweet and 
clean, should supply an extremely goof quality, 
suitable for home consumption as well as export, the 
coffee being for size, colour, and general appearance, 
on a par with good Ceylon plantation. The climate, 
soil, and rainfall are all that can be wished ou the 
Perak hills, but the great drawback hitherto has 
• been the cost of labour, which, however, has now 
been arranged satisfactorily, aud the difficulty of 
transport. One sample of large pale berries, very 
smooth, but out of condition and mildewed, would 
be worth 60s. if sound; two of Liberian viz., Liudum 
Estate, in Sungei Ujong, and Waterloo, were very 
large, and worth 53s. to 55s. ; and three of ordin- 
ary Liberian quality 48s. to 52s. per cwt. ; the remainder 
consisted of parchment and cherry. 
The growth of Liberian is not to be encouraged 
for the reasons stated under the head of Ceylon. 
Samples of Bali, Bonthyne, and Philippine coffee, 
exhibited in the division of the Straits Settlements, 
were probably not British-grown, but the produce of 
some of the Dutch islands in the neighbourhood 
iu the Straits. 
