Malacca, however, was an important port and being often visited 
by travellers we have some account of its productions. LlNSCHOTEN 
(1583) mentions in his “Voyage to the East Indies”, as cultivated 
plants in Malacca, Mangoes, Cashew-nut (which he says had not long 
been introduced from America), Jambus (obviously from its descrip- 
tion Eugenia Malaccensis , “Jambu Bol”), Jambolanes {Eugenia 
Jamboiana ), Bananas, Coco-nuts, Durians, Betel-nuts, Sirih, Black 
Pepper, Papaya, Cana fistula ( Cassia fistula) and the shrub Nyctan- 
thes arhor-tristis. Pineapples, he mentions as having-been brought 
not very long previously from Santa Cruz in Brazil to the West 
Indies and thence to India, and they w T ere almost certainly cultivated 
in Malacca about that time. Chillies of several varieties were also 
cultivated in Malacca, then [Carcia da Orta Historia aromatum). 
The only plant, however, which was cultivated at that time to any 
extent, was Black Pepper, for the export of which Malacca was the 
great emporium. Rice was, of course, also cultivated, but only, it 
seems, for local consumption. Indeed it appears that this country, 
then and certainly later, did not produce enough Rice for its popula- 
tion. It is probable that other plants were introduced during Portu- 
guese occupation, especially some of the fruit trees such as the Jujub 
{Zizyphus Jujuba) and the Sapodilla (Achras sapota) y but of this we 
have no definite proof. 
No progress seems to have been made under Dutch rule, and indeed 
agriculture seems to have retrograded somewhat, as it is stated 
that, under Dutch administration, the natives were actually prohibited 
from growing Rice. 
Arabian Coffee was probably introduced at this time, for it was 
introduced to Java by the Dutch Governor Van HoORNE in 1690, 
(Crawford’s Dictionary) and'doubtless soon found its way to Malacca. 
A number of introduced plants bear in their Malay names the affix 
Blanda, (Javanese Wolanda, i.e., Hollander), but this does not I think 
necessarily imply that the plants bearing this name were introduced 
by the Dutch as the word now at least merely means foreign. 
“Nona Blanda” ( Anona muricata , the Sour Sop) and “ Chermei 
Blanda” ( Eugenia uniflora ) are examples. The latter was intro- 
duced into Malacca from Brazil long after the Dutch had left the 
Peninsula. 
The next development of cultivation followed on the settling of 
Penang by Captain Light in 1786. The Island, at that time, con- 
tained practically no cultivated plants except a few coco-nuts and 
fruit trees. Mr. Christopher Smith, the Botanist to the Hon’ble 
East India Company (1794), was appointed in 1796 to go to the 
Moluccas to collect spice-plants. He shipped off from there 71,266 
Nutmegs, and 55,264 Clove plants and large quantities of seeds of 
the Canary-nut ( Canarium commune )* and Gomuti Palm [Arenva 
saccharifera). The greater part of these plants were sent to Penang 
the rest to Kew, Calcutta, Madras and the Cape of Good Hope. 
He was appointed sole Superintendent of the Botanic Gardens of 
Penang, in 1806, and is said to have died there about the same year. 
