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seen trees which though heavily floriferous have never been known 
to produce fruits. As most of the species of the genus are uni- 
sexual, it is probable that these are strictly male trees. 
The Kaki of Japan and China ( Diospyros Kaki) is well enough 
known to town" residents as the fruit is largely imported from 
China for sale. It will not thrive in the Straits, the climate being 
probably too hot for it. 
ApOCYNACE/E. 
The fruits of some species of Willughbeia are eaten by natives, 
but contain too much India rubber to be pleasant. The best 1 have 
tried is the small fruited IV, dude is of Pahang, a low climber with 
small apricot coloured fruit about as big as a pigeon s egg, very 
soft and sweet but full of rubber. 
Carissa carandas, I.. Karanda, is a pretty spiny shrub with fra- 
grant white flowers. The fruit is at first pink then becoming black 
about an inch long. It is best cooked, and is said to make a good 
imitation of Red Currant Jelly. The shrub grows best in sandy 
and dry places, and makes good hedges. Native of India, 
LAURlNE/E. 
The Avocado Pear, Persea gratissimct a South American tree, 
is not as much cultivated in the Straits as it should be. It is a 
moderate sized tree with pear-shaped or oblong fruit, green or 
brownish-purple, with a very large round seed in the centre. The 
flesh surrounding the stone is yellow and green, soft and buttery 
with a delicate flavour, much appreciated by many. It is eaten 
raw with. pepper and salt. The tree raised from seed grows well 
in good soil in Singapore, and fruits well once a year. The fruit 
is very liable to the attacks of bats, and has to be covered with 
petting or cloth to keep them off. 
URTICACEAl. 
The most important genus of this order is that of Arlocarpus , of 
which several species are eatable. 
The Bread-fruit, Artocarpus incisa is an introduced tree, easily 
known by its dark green lobed leaves, It is not rarely planted and 
is to be seen in many of the older Settlements but certainly does 
not play the important part in the food of the natives here that it 
does in South America and elsewhere in the tropics. The tree 
does not, as a rule, attain the great size that it does in .South Ame- 
rica nor is the fruit as good, being more woody. The Bread-fruit 
is a globose mass of small fruits, of a dark green colour, with white 
flesh inside. It is about as large as a child's bead when fully de- 
veloped, but usually much smaller here. It is eaten either boiled, 
and sliced and spread while hot with butter or baked either whole 
or in slices. 
The Jack, Arlocarpus intvgri folia is almost too Weil known to 
require description. It is very extensively grown here as indeed 
all over the East. The fruit (or rather head of fruits) always borne 
on the old wood, attains an enormous size, and is one of the most 
popular fruits with the natives. It varies very much in flavour, 
