21 
Siamese Benzoin {Sty rax sp .). — The cultivation 'of Siamese Benzoin might pay, 
as it seems greatly in demand. I frequently receive letters offering long prices for 
plants or produce. The plant is supposed to be a variety of the common Benzoin 
{Styrax benzoin) but until proper specimens are obtained, this cannot be settled. 
CUBEBS {Piper cubeba ) . — Experiments with Cubebs on a small scale seem to shew 
that the plant prefers a shady moist situation. Plants exposed to the full sun grew 
much more slowly. The cultivation of Cubeb plants does not receive the amount 
of attention in the Straits it deserves. The crop pays well, but for the present the 
monopoly of its cultivation remains in the hands of the Dutch, through apparently no 
other reason than a want of enterprise on the part of planters on this side of the 
water. In Johor the plant grows remarkably well, bearing heavy crops of fruit, but 
details of its cultivation as practised in Java is still a desideratum. 
MISCELLANEOUS. 
SAGO {Sagus Rumphictna and S. Isevis ). — The cultivation of native Sago is de- 
servedly 1 eceiving increased attention in the Straits. The trees prefer lich swampy 
ground a d become productive in about six years after planting from seed. When 
grown on other than swampy land the seed seldom matures. The tree can be increased 
from seed or from suckers or off-shoots, but when the latter process is adopted a large 
percentage generally fail to grow. 
PATCHOULI {P o go stemon patchouli ). — Plants of Patchouli have been in demand 
for experimental planting, and a good number have been supplied. _ Picked leaves 
are now selling at $17 per picul. Ehe plants grow freely with but little care, and 
should figure among Colonial products. Plants raised from seed aie reported 
to grow well, but to have no scent, but retain it when produced from cuttings. I have 
no? been able to verify these statements, but it is well known that plants do some- 
times play tricks of this kind — Sandal-wood frequently. 
# 
Tonquin Bean {Dipierix odorata)—K plant of this, received from Kew some 
three years ago, has made very fair growth, being now about ten feet in height. 
Guinea Corn {Sorghum vulgare).—K quantity of seeds of Guinea Corn was 
received during the year from His Excellency the Governor. The plant grew well 
and produced an abundance of fruit, but the seeds weie so much attacked by insects 
when near maturity that it was with difficulty a sulficiency was saved to 
retain the plant in stock. It is said to succeed well wherever Indian Corn will grow. 
The plant is of rapid growth and makes excellent fodder, 
INDIAN Corn {Zea mys ).— Indian Corn tried in the Nursery grew with great 
ease and ripened fine heads of fruit. Why the plant is not more largely cultivated here 
is difficult to understand. The plant comes to maturity in about sixty days, which 
admits of numerous*crops in a year being reaped under energetic treatment. 
Tree Tomato {Cyphomandra betacea ) \ These two excellent fruits have 
Mountain Papaya {Carica candamttrcensis ) j been introduced, but a proper 
place to plant them has not yet been procured. They would no doubt grow admira- 
bly on the Thaeping Range in Perak at about four thousand feet elevation, or on the 
Selangor hills, and be within range of practical use. I hope to obtain permission 
to plant them there under my personal directions. I had the advantage of seeing both 
of these fruits growing when lately at Hakgala in Ceylon, and of tasting them, and can 
testify to their excellence. The fruit of the mountain Papaya had some of the flavour 
of a peach and a very agreeable odour. Some of the Papaya plants I observed had 
partly left mother earth and were establishing themselves as sub-epiphytes, growing 
with but scanty support and fruiting freely in the crevices of stone walls, &c. 
Dahl {Cajanus indicus) grew and produced fruit freely. Considering the 
large Indian population in the Straits, the plant might be profitably cultivated. 
Rice {Oxyra saliva ).—' The mode of cultivating rice is as varied as the nations 
who cultivate it. The Malays are good cultivators in their particular way ; they take 
only one crop a year, and which has been ascribed to indolence, but enquiry has led 
me to the conclusion that this is not the case. What the Malay does is simply this, 
