February i, 1888.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
Tobacco and Cigars. 
( ; utlirie & flo., Singapore. — Tobacco. 
Lune.berg, Penang. — Cigars and Cigarettes. 
Westerbout, J. E., Malaoca. — Tobacco. 
The short thick Cigars made iu these Settle 
ments scarcely deserve more than a passing consider- 
ation. Their Chinese character and peculiar flavour 
preclude them entirely from any possible European 
trade. The tobacco of which they aro made is how- 
ever admirable, but it is feared that it is imported, 
and not grown in the Straits. 
Silk. 
I can find no trace of the existence of any seri- 
cultural industry in this Oolonv, 
There was exhibited in i !i Straits Settlements 
Court a collection of silk sarongs of interest, from 
Sumatra, made of silk from Siaua. One was of a 
lil. ii<l pattern with representations of flowers printed 
upon it with gold, the borders having serrations like 
many of the fabrics of Java. There were also some 
with gold thread woven along with the silk. 
11 of the silks were dyed in purple, blue and 
magenta, with aniline dyes. 
There was also exhibited a case of Singapore 
sarongs and handkerchiefs. 
I am without any information respecting silk- 
producing Lepidoptera in this Colony. 
Timber. 
Thfl Timber Exhibits in this Court were trunks of 
trees, sections, &c. The Forest Department exhibits 
specimens of wood, fifty-six in number; Dr. T. I. 
Howell, specimens of Straits timber, 114 in number ; 
Chi Bun Hong, specimens of timber, fifty-two in 
number; the Government of the State of Sungei 
Qjong, ornamental and other woods, twenty in num- 
ber; and the (Government of Perak, woods, forty-five 
in number — there being, as per Catalogue, a total of 
287. Further, there are for Selangor, a collection of 
timber from the jungles, and some specimens of tim- 
ber with scientific notes sown by Mr. H. Newton. 
These, exhibits consist for the most part of small 
pieces, half-sections varying from 12 to 15 inches iu 
lou,'th stilus of small trees and shrubs, some short 
cross sections the full growth of moderate-sized trees, 
upon which, unfortunately, the labels were in many 
cases damaged, and the names not legible. There 
were abo some prepared specimens about ] inch by 
4 inches by 0 inches, and Mr. H. Newton's speci- 
mens U, inch by '.i feet of woods in ordinary use 
iu the Straits Settlements, which he had tested ex- 
perimentally for transverse strength. 
These several lots were set out in six parcels, but 
after looking into them, over and over again, Cata- 
logue in hand, it was found impossible to identify 
more than a few of the woods. Upon one occasion 
the Assistant Executive Commissioner joined in the 
etrort, anxious to help, but after working for some 
time without making -atisfaetory progress, he came 
to the conclusion that errors must have occurred in 
packing the exhibits for shipment. 
The following aro the woods made out from the 
parcel shown by the Forest Department: — 
Dyeru cant alula. Hook, f., native name Jelutong; 
Eugenia :et//niitr,i, Koxb., Kel.it; Faip aa. Kipis Kulit ; 
l.iUiea, Kandis; Litscta, Sapah Petal; Sliorra, Durian 
Gianni Termiaalia, Keraloi ; Titranthtra, M odang Telor 
uud Ny itoh. Several of these appeared good in 
■JWuity, and doubtless would be useful formany purposes. 
The "Notos on the Straits Settlements " make no 
mention of timber as an article of produce ; it seems 
therefore likely that the Colony is dependent, for 
many of the woods iu use there, upon supplies from 
Borneo and Australia. 
Tin* following are a few of tho principal woods re- 
ferred to iu Mr If. Newton's notes: — 
Afzrlia pattmianiea. Haker, nativo name Mirahoo. 
A larg« tree, plentiful, yielding timber of a clo«n fine 
grain, hard, tonRh, rigid-taking, a good polish, aud suit- 
able for furniture. 
Aptxlylft, Darroo. A moderate-sized tree, yielding 
t'lnbrr of a straw oolour, having a poc diar aromatic 
smell ; it is easy to work, and suittble for carpentry 
purposes. 
Artocarpus, Kladang. Also a tree of moderate dimen- 
sions, yields a light, yellowish-brown coloured timber 
close-grained, and moderately hard, flexible, takes a 
Gili polish, suitable for furniture aud ship-building. 
Caiophyllum inophyllum, Linn. Biutangore or Poou, 
is of mo lerate size, and yields timber of a reddish 
colour, coarse-graiued, and moderately hard small masts 
aud spars are made of this wood for prahus and juuks. It 
is suitab'e for carpentry. 
Canarium, Damar Laut, is a large tree, plentiful, 
yielding timber of a brown colour, close-grained, and 
very strong; large scantlings for constructive pur- 
poses cau be obtained from it. 
Dialiumihdum, Linn., Krangie. A large tree, yield, 
ing timber of a dark colour, finely veined, hard, 
and suitable for furniture and builriing purposes. 
Hopen, Seriah. A medium-sized tree, yielding tim- 
ber of a reddish colour, close fin grain, moderately 
hard, suitable for carpentry and general purposes. 
Sloetiu Sidtroxyloa, Teysm. Ic Binu, Tampiuuis, is 
a moderate size tree, yielding wood of a brown 
colour, close grained, moderately bard, it takes a 
gaod polish, resembles Mahogany, and it is suitable 
for furniture and civil architecture. 
Vaticd Rassak, Blunie, R issak. A tree, of a large 
size, yielding timber of a dark colour close-grained, 
moderately hard, suitable for bridges, piles, carpentry, 
<Src. 
The following have native names only : — 
Ballow. A large tree, attaining a height of CO to 
100 feet, and 4 to 6 feet diameter. It yields timber 
of a brownish colour, close-grained, hard, an I heavy, 
very suitable for architecture, and for most purposes 
where strength is required. 
Billian. A tree of large dimensions, yielding timber 
of a brown aud dark colour, close-grained, very hard 
aud difficult to work. It is sometimes called iron- 
wood, and is suitable for bridges and piles, or any 
purpose in carpentry where great strength is required. 
Damar Putih. A large tree, yielding timber of a 
brown colour, close iu grain, hard aud heavy, it re- 
sists sea-worms, and is suitable for piles or bridges. 
Tambaga. A tree attaining 100 to 150 feet iu 
height and 3 to 5 feet diameter. It yields a strong, 
rigid wood, suitable for the stoutest scantlings re- 
quired in either engineering or architecture. 
Tanning Materials. 
India and Sinoapork.* 
At present our supplies of fanning material from 
India are limited to myrabolanes, of which from 20,000 
to 25,000 tODS reach this country anuually. As how- 
ever, Singapore is subordinate to the presidency of 
Bengal, we may include gimbier iu our enumeration, 
and of this as much as 25,000 to 30,0)0 tons anuually 
are received, the combined value of these two articles 
being fully three-quarters of a million sterling. Both 
were represented in the specimen cases exhibited in 
the Indian Court, in addition to which there were 
inaoy varieties of bark, gall-nuts, &c, which possess 
the greatest interest for leather manufacturers here, 
and show how rich India is in tauuiug agents. 
The inspection of these serves to account for the 
development of tanning in India, aud tho importaut 
iucrease that has taken place of late years in tanned 
kid, goat, and sheep skins, Sent to this country and 
the Continent, and also to the United States. 
By the kindness of Dr. George Watt, c. t, H., the 
special officer in charge of the Economic Court, many 
specimens of tho under-noted hark-i have b>eu ob- 
tained, an 1 he has sjjo given many valuable and sug- 
gestive comments thereon. In some cases only an ex- 
tract from the notes in the Official Catalogue is given. 
1. Acacia urabira, or the ludiau gum arabic tree, a 
small thorny tree conunou everywhere iu India. The 
bark is a powerful astringent, and is ouo of the tanning 
Mibitauces most extensively used ill India. If sent to 
ibis countrv, chopped or ground like mini si. or as an 
extract, it would no doubt find a certain market, which 
would become importaut, if it were found a desirable 
r> lditiou to the tauuiug substance* used in this country 
• Those have been admitted for^tho sake of com- 
parison. 
