Sago climbing habit; the leaves are pinnate. Each palm trunk produces a single inflorescence at its tip at the end of its life. Sago palms are harvested at the age of 7–15 years, just before or shortly after the inflorescence appears and when the stems are full of starch stored for use in reproduction. One palm can yield 150–300 kg of starch. Sago is extracted from "Metroxylon" palms by splitting the stem lengthwise and removing the pith which is then crushed and kneaded to release the starch before being washed and strained to extract the starch from the fibrous residue. The
Sago Lane and the areas surrounding Sago Lane and Street soon became a hub for many traders, coolies, hawkers, peddlers, shops and brothels. Early 20th century: As the area developed in the 1920s, most of the sago factories began to disappear in both streets. In the 1920s, the lane was used as a jinriksha station in Chinatown where apanese and Chinese brothels moved into Sago street. The lane's famous Chinese death houses or funeral homes came into existence in the late 19th century. This was the place where people near death will be left to die, with the funeral parlour prepared below.