THINGS THEY DO IN SIAM

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 89, 31 August 1912, Page 1 (Supplement)

THINGS THEY DO IN SIAM

EUROPEAN TASTES. Perfumery is extensively used in Siam, and eau de Cologne, Florida water, scented liair lotions, and oils, face creams and cosmetics are in constant demand. German, French and English firms send out salesmen every yeai; or six months to look after this trade. Few, if any, American perfumes are found on the Siamese market. The people there prefer jasimine, rose and violet scents, i Ordinary kerosene lamps are used in most Siamese houses outside of Bangkok, as only that city has electric lighting, and coal is too expensive for use in producing illuminating gas. The greatest demand is for wall lamps, which are used in the thousands of houseboats which line the rivers and canals of Siam, and in the homes of the peasants. Such lamps sell at 25c to 50c each, but, according to Consular and trade reports, nearly every kind of lamp finds a sale in Siam. Only the most ordinary lamps are made in this country by the Chinese tinsmiths, the rest being imported. Instead of being used as a beverage the leaves of the tea plant after being fermented are rolled into balls, one of which is placed in the hollow, of the cheek, and allowed to remain there until the soluble contents have been exhausted by the saliva. This use of tea is common in Northern Siam. The tea plant is cultivated to only a small extent, but is found wild on hill slopes. In Lower Siam tea-drinking is indulged in to a considerable extent, especially among the Chinese. Most of the tobacco produced in Siam, about 3,000,0001bs a year, valued at £IOO,OOO, is consumed at home, the exports last year amounting to only 10,2071b, most of which went to Hongkong. The tobacco leaf grown here is said to be of peculiarly fine texture, and would probably displace foreign tobacco in the local markets if it were cured by modern methods. At present the leaves are kept in the dark until partly dry, then folded lengthwise one upon another, cut into cross sections,ami expcsed to the sun for a day or two, after which they are ready for consumption. One of the chief uses for tobacco there is for cigarettes. A considerable quantity of native tobacco is mixed with areca nut and betel leaf and used for chewing, the imported tobacco never being used for this purpose.