The African Baobab, Adansonia digitata^ is placed here so as to be near its ally Bombax larutense. It makes, 
perhaps, the most bulky tree of the whole earth, producing a trunk of soft wood, that may exceed 150 ft, in circumfer- 
ence. Its tough bark serves for cordage ; its acid fruits are used as seasoning ; and its wood can be converted into 
paper-pulp. It has flowered in Singapore, but not this individual which is very young. 
Over the slope, just where the path begins its ascent, is a patch of the fibre-pineapple ; this is a variety with long 
leaves and indifferent fruit. When the Pineapple was brought first to the East from America, its fibre was 
commercially more important than its fruit. 
Hura crepitans, an American plant, with the purgative properties of Castor Oil, and in times past a substitute, is 
on the slope. Its fruits explode in the same way as those of the Para-rubber tree, but with greater violence, and with a 
noise that has earned for it the quaint name of the Monkey's dinner bell." 
Myroxylon balsamiferum is planted here. It is the source of both Balsam of Peru and Balsam of Tolu, in varieties 
that differ only in their resins. Balsam of Peru is obtained in the hills behind the southern coasts of the Central 
American States of San Salvador and Guatemala, Balsam of Tolu is obtained in the South American States of 
Venezuela, Colombia, New Grenada and just into Ecuador. There was an Indian industry in the balsam when the 
Spaniards reached America ; and at the time when they introduced it among the medicines of Europe, " Peru " 
indicated much more territory than it does now. Trees, well grown, may exceed 100 ft. in height. 
Not far away, is a bush of MerriUia caloxylon, the source of a beautiful yellow and brown wood, valued by the 
Malays for kris sheaths. It makes a good furniture wood. 
A little further up the hill is a tree of the Japanese loquat, Eriobotrya japonica, interesting as one of the few trees 
that will grow out of doors in the south of England and put up with the unlike climate of Singapore. It flowers in 
Singapore, but never fruits. It likewise flowers in England, where fruits can be obtained if the tree is protected while 
they ripen. Without doubt, it lays down its flower-buds during the warmest part of the Japanese summer or in the 
warmth of the middle of the year in northern India, for it flowers in these places in November ; but it requires relatively 
low temperatures for setting fruit, such as are never attained in Singapore. Could one keep ice about it, after flowering, 
perhaps it would fruit in Singapore, too. 
The large-leaved tree nearby is the Philippine Marang, Artocarpus odoratissima ; it is considered superior to the 
Chempedak and similar Artocarps. It has begun to fruit in Singapore. 
Two species of Strophanthus are planted at this point. Their curious flowers, with long tails to each of the five 
lobes of the corolla, attract the eye. One of them is Strophanthus hispidus, and the other is S. Petersianus ; both are 
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