534 
some forms being very sweet and as well flavoured as a pine apple, 
others are somewhat acid, or have an unpleasant leathery taste. 
It is comparatively seldom eaten by Europeans and indeed is not 
suited to them, being apt to disagree with the digestive organs. 
The fruit when ripening is enclosed in mat bags to keep off the 
squirrels, bats, and other such animals, and also insects which 
speedily attack it. , • 
The Chanlpedak, Artocarpus polyphemia differs from the Jack 
in its smaller white fruits, very popular with natives but having a 
nauseous flavour and odour, which would deter any European from 
eating it. It is a native of the Peninsula being wild in many of 
the denser forests. The wild form, however, differs in possessing 
very many ’more seeds than the cultivated one, and is not usually 
eaten, even by Malays. 
The seeds of this plant and the Jack are often roasted and eaten 
as nuts. . . 
The Monkey Jack, Tampunei, Artocarpus rigida^ is a very tine 
tree with deep green foliage, and orange yellow fruits .about 6 
inches through, the outside covered with short blunt processes. 
When ripe it is easily opened, and discloses small seeds about a 
quarter of an inch long in a sweet delicately flavoured^ orange pulp 
with a taste of honey. It is well worth cultivating as the fruit is 
far the best in the genus, and may rank as one of the best fruits in 
the East. The tree which attains the height of bo feet, often fruits 
when about 14 or 15 feet tall, and is a native of our forests. The 
fruits are attacked by Musangs and Monkeys as. well as by fruit 
bats. - . , • 1 f 
The Tampang Artocarpus Gomesiana, is a very different kiad ot 
fruit from any of the others though the tree has a similar appear- 
ance to that of the Tampunei. The fruit is soft smooth more or 
less globular, about three inches through green outside and rose 
pink within, pulpy all through, and rather acid. It is generally 
cooked before eating and might be used for making preserve. 
The Kulun, said to be a variety of the Bread-fruit is often planted 
in Singapore. The fruit resembles that of the Bread-fruit in form 
and colour, but is sweet. 
All the Artocarpi are grown from seed. 
Eigs pipits Car it a, have long been grown in the Botanic Gardens, 
and though the plants make but little growth, they live and produce 
a few figs each year. The variety grown is the white (or rather 
green) fig, other varieties might be tried, perhaps with more success, 
and a dryer climate than that of Singapore might suit them better. 
I have seen excellent fig trees supplying. plenty of fruits in Brazil, ~ 
grow n in sandy spots near the sea, so that they will grow and 
thrive in tropical regions. The flavour of the. Singapore figs is not 
as good as.that of European dh.es and they are rather dry. 
There are a great many kinds of wild figs in the Peninsula, of 
most of which the fruit is very small, and either tasteless or un- 
pleasant. The small figs of Ficus Cunea which are red w ith white 
spots and borne on branches running along the ground and half 
buried are sweet and eatable. 
