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and astringent and quite uneatable unless rolled about and pressed 
by the fingers when it becomes quite soft and the astringent taste 
disappears entirely. The tree is very common in villages and waste 
places, the seeds being often dispersed by birds. It will grow in 
almost any soil sufficiently dry, and grows fairly fast, fruiting in 
four or five years. It prefers full sun or at the most light shade. 
The tree is always raised from seed. The seeds are said to yield an 
oil which might be of value. ff flowers in January to March. 
FI. Ritktim. — Is a very similar tree with larger and broader 
leaves, as much as 6 inches long and three wide more often occur- 
ring in woods and shaded places. It fruits rather earlier than 
FI. cataphracta , but as a rule not so heavily. The fruit is gener- 
ally considered inferior. It flowers October to January, but often 
at other times, fruits February to July. 
FI. inermis , Roxb. — Is a small tree with very much of the habit 
of the other two but with the fruit is very different being of a 
bright cherry red and very add, excellent when cooked for pies, etc. 
POLYGALE/E. 
The only eatable fruit of this order is that of Xanthophyllum 
obscurum, a large often huge tree with deep shining green leaves 
and white flowers. The fruit is as large as a cricket ball or larger, 
with a thick rind enclosing several seeds wrapped in a sweet white 
pulp, which however, is rather scanty. It is eaten by natives and 
though somewhat refreshing when met with in the woods, is not 
worth cultivating for its fruit as there is so little flesh on the seed. 
It occurs widely all over the Peninsula and is known to the 
Malays as Buah Kapas and also Lemak Berok, the latter name 
however, is applied to other and uneatable species of the genus. 
GUTTIFER^E. 
The best known fruit of this order is probably the best known 
fruit of the East, vis., the Mangosteen, Garcinia mangostana. A 
tree usually small about 12 to 15 feet tall, with a large head of 
deep green leathery leaves. I have, however, seen trees of a quite 
different form being about 40 feet tall and much more drawn up. 
Such trees, however, are not to be recommended. The tree is 
raised from seed and is of fairly rapid growth. 
Mangosteen trees are not often pruned or subjected to any 
attempts at improvement in cultivation. Pruning is, however, 
beneficial especially when the trees have got old and are ceasing to 
bear. In any case suckers growing erect through the tree should 
be removed and proper pruning might be very beneficial to almost 
■ all trees. 
The Mangosteen flowers in March and May or earlier, and in 
Singapore fruits can be obtained from May to December, the 
heaviest crop being produced from about August to September, 
Different trees fruit at different times according to their ages. A 
few as early in the year as January. The soil should be good if 
possible, but the tree seems to thrive in almost any place provided 
it is not excessively wet. It is far less particular in this than the 
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