3i4 
however, have almost, if not entirely, dropped out of the business 
which is entirely in the hands of the Chinese. Outside the island 
very little canning is done, though there are a few small factories 
in Penang and elsewhere. The pines used for canning are of poor 
eating varieties, but serve their purpose for preserving very well. 
Many good table pines have, however, been introduced by the 
Botanic Gardens of Penang and Singapore, among which may be 
mentioned the Mauritius pine; Black West Indian {1893), Aba caxi 
( i ^ 93 )j Windsor (1893), Guatemala spineless; Harvey’s Mexican and 
the Elvaston pine, Red Spanish, Green Ripley, Red Ripley, Ruby 
pine from Jamaica and others at various dates. 
The Papaya . — This South American fruit was cultivated in Ma- 
lacca as early as 1583 (LiNSCHOTEN) having been introduced from 
America by way of Manilla, by the Portuguese ; several varieties of 
more or less value have been lately introduced by the Botanic 
Gardens of Singapore. The Papayas of Singapore are considered 
by connoisseurs to be the finest in the world. 
The mountain Papaya ( Carica Cundinamarcensis ) has several 
times been introduced by the Botanic Gardens, and attempts have 
been made to grow it on our hills in Perak and elsewhere, but it 
has always failed, the altitudes being apparently nbt great enough. 
Bananas are recorded as cultivated in the Malay Peninsula as 
early as 1416 (Chinese Literature), and were probably under cultiva- 
tion at a very much earlier date, as I have very little doubt that the 
wild plantain of the Peninsula forests, known as Pisang Karok 
{Musa Malaccensis ), is the parent of a number of the varieties of 
cultivated plantains. A great number of named varieties have been 
cultivated in the Botanic Gardens, derived from many different parts 
of the world and are often in request and distributed. The fruit of 
the wild form above mentioned is yellov: and full of hard seeds. 
In size, coloring and shape it resembles the fine cultivated variety 
known as Pisang Mas, but that is stoneless and very highly flavoured. 
A Banana, with abortive seeds in it, Pisang Batu, is often cultivated 
by the Malays. West Indian cooking Plantain were introduced by 
the Botanic Gardens, in 1893. 
Oranges were cultivated in Singapore, in 1850 (THOMSON in Lo- 
gans^s Journal Vol. IV), and probably earlier; many varieties were 
obtained later. Cantley introduced a number of Australian kinds 
in 1 88 r, some of which were sent to Perak, and good strains were 
introduced by the Botanic Gardens, from India, Florida and Malta 
and other places. Orange cultivation is, however, unsuited for the 
greater part of the Peninsula, though good samples are usually 
shown at the Agricultural Shows. The soil of the country and es- 
pecially the dampness of thfe climate are against the cultivation. 
They do better in Malacca where it is drier, and on an alluvial 
flat at Kuala Kangsar, at the mouth of the Kangsar River in Perak, 
the oranges are excellent, but most of the West Coast of the Penin- 
sula has failed to produce good Oranges or Lemons. 
