“ the characters of Dichofsis were identical with those of Pala- 
“ a mum, which being of older date takes precedence under botam- 
“ cal etiquette.” The best Gutta Percha is yielded by a tree known 
as “Getali Taban” in these States, of which there are several 
varieties, e. g . : — 
Taban Merah, Palaquium oblongifohum or gutta. 
Taban Chaier, ,, sp. 
Taban Puteh, ,, pustulatum. 
Taban Baik, „ sp. 
Getah Sundik, Payena Leerii . 
All these are good, except Taban Puteh which is much inferior 
to the others. Considerable doubt exists amongst botanists as 
regards to the specific names of numbers 2, 3 and 4, and P. oolongi- 
foliuni and P. Gutta are by some considered as distinct species. 
Local names cannot be depended on at all, as they differ in the 
different States. Payena is not found in anything like such quan- 
tities as Palaquium , and it is chiefly with the latter that I propose 
to deal. 
Palaquium Gutta is found in all four States, the best areas lyin* 
between 2 degrees and 5 degrees North. It must be considered 
as a dominant species, but exists at present, owing to the unregu- 
lated and wholesale fellings by natives some years ago only in the 
seedling and small pole stage. 
It occurs most frequently on the low hills and plains, often on 
steep hill sides, and up to 2,000 feet above sea level and even 
? 000. It is found well represented in large blocks of forest, 
varying in size from a few hundred acres to 10,000 or 15,000 
acres in extent, while it may be practically absent in other areas 
for long distances. On dose examination a great many ot the 
young plants are found to be stool shoots, but there are many 
seedlings also, although seed trees are not now to be found, this 
looks as if the felling of mature trees did not cease till compara- 
tively recently. The Taban tree is a shade beardr of the most pro- 
nounced description, and is able Jo maintain the struggle for existence 
successfully, if slowly, in these dense Evergreen forests. I hey 
<r rbvv to a considerable size, the largest I have actual knowledge of 
m this country was in Penang, and measured when blown down 
52 feet in height and 42 inches in circumference at 14 feet from 
the ground. 1 have seen mention of a tree 140 feet high in the 
Philippines, and there is no doubt that it is an exceedingly slow 
grower. At present poles 30 to 40 feet high arc fairly common in 
these States, but large trees are rarities. In the Straits Settlements 
Palaquium only exists in the natural state to a very small extent, 
e a., in Malacca near Nyalas, not to mention a few scattered trees 
in Penang and elsewhere. We must rely in the Colony on our 
plantations or on the Federated Malay States, w'here large areas 
are found containing this plant in the wild state. At present a 
small plantation exists at Batu Ferringhi in Penang and another in 
Malacca and Singapore. The P. Gutta tree is very easily recog- 
