August t, 1881.] THE TROPICAL 
AGRICULTURIST. 
173 
to the < limate, the different soils, aud situations, and 
to do this a knowledge of the indigenous tree of the 
country is imparatively necessary ; as they can mo-tly 
be depended on, while experiments with exotics have 
always a certain amount of speculation attached to them, 
and failures are by no means rare. That the Straits 
possess some excellent timber trees it is unnecessary 
to say here, as some ports are well known in other 
markets, as for instance Daru, Baloo, Tainpenis, Mer- 
bau, Tembueu, and others, some of which for dur- 
ability are scarcely rivalled by English Oak or Indian 
Teak"; and too much cannot be known about the require- 
ments and habitats most conducive to their healthy 
and rapid development. Of some of these there are 
several varieties, (by a .variety I here mean the variation 
in the same kind of 'timber, which may possibly be pro- 
duced by distinct species of treis,) as for instauce the 
Merbau and the Seraya ; of the latter so many, ihat 
hardly any two samples of the timber selected at ran- 
dom will bo found to correspond in the degree of 
porosity and density. Hence it becomes a matter of 
the utmost importance that those species which yield 
the best kinds of timber Bhould receive the most 
attention in their native habitats; and instead of sow- 
ing seeds that have been collected at random, atten- 
tion should bo p. id to securing only good varieties 
as a tree producing worthless timber absorbs the same 
amount (aud in tho majority of instances more) of 
nourishment,, space, and attention, as its more valu- 
able compeer. 
The only plan to follow to ensure this is to acquire 
first some knowledge of the general appearance of 
various timber trees together with their distinguishing 
abaracteristics ; as little dependence can bo placed on 
native names that have not become common every- 
day words, otherwise they are extremely local, and 
the same word may he used to distinguish two very 
different trees, — let us say for instance, in Johore and 
Snngie. Ujong. Then, again, the great similarity of 
native names ofte*n leads to confusion, as for instance 
Kladang, Kledong, and Kladong, which are given to 
widely different trees in the Straits. 
The reluctance of Malays, or in fact all oriental 
nations, to confess their ignorance on subjects like 
native names is too well known, and they will often 
give a wrong or an impromptu name, rather than con- 
fess their ignorance. 
In the following notes I shall endeavour, while 
avoiding all technicalities as fair as possible, to give 
a general description of the various timber-producing 
trees known in the Straits under the native or com- 
mercial names most generally used, adding any less 
known synonyms together with the soil and situa- 
tions in which they mostly obtain ; premising that 
the descriptions under ibis head are the results in 
most instances of actual observations ; but as the 
same species often affects widely different habitat* 
which have their influence on the mode aud manner 
of growth, I trust that where my experience differs 
from that of your other correspondents who have 
Mud attention to the subject, they will come forward 
with their quota. 
I do not intend to enter very fully into their use*, 
as these are almost us widely known as their native 
or commercial names, and when once their botanical 
nomenclature is settled, further information can usually 
be found in books devoted to tho subject. For their 
breaking weight, weight per cubic toot, and value, 
Miij 'i McNair's Report and Kurz'a Fvrtst Flora, 
B'itix/i Burma, have been consulted. With tie rae pre- 
liminary remarks I will close my present contribution, 
and in my noxt take up the -lorts of timbers given 
in Major McNair's Report first. 
II. J. MURTON. 
Singapore, 9tb April, 1881. 
THE WAX PALM IN PERNAMCUCO. 
(From the Journal of the Society of Arts,) 
Mr. Francis T. Eaton sends some further particulars 
respecting this palm, described in the last number of 
the Journal : — 
Camauba, or vegetable wax (not Camanba) is the 
produce of the leaves of the Carnauba Palm (Cory- 
pha ce.rifera ; natural order, Palmacrx). one of the 
finest palms of tho Brazilian forests. Its fan like leavi a 
are placed in a tuft at the top of a hard solid stem, 
growing from 30 to 40 feet in height, the stalks of 
the leaves themselves being 6 or 8 feet in length. 
When the leaves have attained perfection, they are 
found to be varnished with a thin coating of vegetable 
wax ; they are then gathered and laid in a cold dry 
place on cloths, where they naturally wither and shrink. 
In consequence of the shrinking, the coat of wax 
cracks, and peels off in small flakes ; these are from 
time to time collected, and it is turned out when 
melted into small earthen pans, and th* n cooled. The 
lumps (as imported), are about "5 and 4 lb. each, and 
ad bear the shape of the pan in which they have 
been melted ; it i* of light sulphur colour, with a 
lustre between that of wax aud rosin, and rather 
brittle. There were imported into Liverpool, in 1878, 
80 tons ; in 1879, 13 tons ; and in 1880, 40 tons, and 
the value has ranged between 35s aud 85s per cwt. 
Tea in Dakjeeling and Juxpigoeie.— We learn 
from the "Financial Reformer," that eight new tea 
gardens have been opened out during the past year 
in each of the above districts. At present there 
are 152 tea gardens in the Darjeeling district, and 
37 in the Julpigorie; the number of acres uuder 
tea in the former district being 37,327, and in the 
latter 11,079. The total yield of the season for the 
two districts is estimated at 5,53S,040 Vo.— Indian 
Tea Gazette. 
Land Reclamation in Florida.— It is reported in 
the Engineer that the Philadelphia capitalists who are 
about to reclaim tho immense tracts of land in the 
State of Florida known as the Everglades, have com- 
pleted their contract with that State, one of the main 
features of the scheme being the building of a ship 
canxl across Florida. This project almost equals in 
importance that of reclaiming 12,000,000 acres of rich 
land. It would not only shorten the distance between 
the American ports on the Ailantic coast and all 
European porta to New Orleans, Mobile, and all 
shipping points on the Gulf of Mexico, but it would 
avoid the dangers to navigation which ar- experienced 
on tho countless keys and coral reefs off the southe 11 
and south-western coast of Floiida. 
Tea in New South Wales.— The Colonial Regute 
of May 28th says :— " It is rather strange that, 
while in Melbourne Indian tea has been introduced 
with so much success, as yet in Syduey but little 
business has been done in it. Probably the importers 
in the latter city are so satisfied with their j resent 
relations with China, and the profits earned til tl at 
way, that they do not think it advisable \<> offer a 
change to the consumer. But we imagine thut the 
distinct preference for Indiau ten, whioli bus so mani- 
fested itself in Victoria, must before long extend to 
New South Wales, aud that the local trad ra will 
then have to give way. In Victoria, duriil , thie 
seven months Irom August to March last, aearlj I alf 
a million pounds of Indian tea were sold ; and an 
idea of the btead.v growth of the trade may be galllu'tfed 
from tho tact that about two firths of this quantity 
were fold in March nloue- The Calcutta Symtii.v'u 
who have had this undertaking in hand have every 
reason to be satisfied with the unqualified succ bs they 
havo attained." Wc have reason to believe that ( feyloD 
toa will shortly have a special ageuoy in Sydney. 
