THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 11TH MARCH, 1882.
271
17. The following is the list of Contributors:- Alderton, Captain; Japanese plants. Brand, E; Geraniums.
Botanic Garden, Brisbane; six Wardian cases of
ornamental and useful plants and seeds of Eucalypti, &c. Bowen; case of Araucarias, &c. Jamaica; seeds.
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22
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Melbourne; seeds of Australian
trees and shrubs. Singapore; plants Ataccia cristata. Buittenzorg, Java; Wards case
of Cinchonas.
Beazely, Mrs., Swatow; Chinese plants. Bush, L. L.; Pheasants.
Crawford, D. R.; Geraniums and seeds. Crocker, W. M., Sarawak; valuable orchids. Creswell, C. T., Sydney; seeds of Australian tim-
ber trees.
Coote, H. E., Vice Admiral; Ferns from Perak. Tennant, H. P., Foochow; Bamboos.
Gerlach, Dr.; Chinese plants and Herbarium
specimens.
Godsil, Captain; Civet cat.
Hance, Dr. H. F., Whampoa; seeds. Haage and Schmidt, Erfurt; Cacti. Hungerford, Dr.; orchids.
Hyde, H. B., New York; American plants. Lowcock, H.; Wallabie and Peacock. Mesny, Colonel, Herbarium specimens from
Sze-chuen.
Pasedag, C. J., Amoy; ornamental plants. Price, Hon. J. M.; seeds from Cochin China. Queensland Acctn. Society; secds of Australian
trees.
Rozario, M. C. do.; Peacock.
Romano, A. G.; plants.
Royal Gardens, Kew; seeds of palms, &c. Smith, R.; Lizard.
Silva, J. M.; plants.
Sampson, T., Canton; Acer Formosana. Taylor, C. S.; Ferns and ornamental plants. Thomsett, Captain; Pelargoniums. Tsan Chun; Water Hen.
Watters, T., Ichang; Persea Nanmu. Wheathy, Mrs., Ningpo; Pai-cha tree.
AFFORESTATION.
18. The following trees were planted during the year:--
Brought forward. 210,542 Ficus retusa (Banian)
Pinus sinensis two-year old plants
144,948
61
>>
"
size from 4 ft. to 10 ft. high sown in situ
862 60,555
19
Aleurites triloba (Candleberry-tree)
19
Eucalyptus spp. (Gum-trees)
Cupressus torulosa (Bhotan Cypress).
Bamboos
24
) sown in situ...
1,900
1,537
(,) large trees transplanted Pinus canariensis (Canary Island Pine)... Cupressus funebris (Funereal Cypress)... Syncarpia laurifolia (Turpertine-tree).. Grevillea robusta (Slky Oak)......
16
23
26
14
22
452 Daminara robusta
21
164
Stillingia sebifera (Tallow-tree)..............
25
Quercus salicina
Harlandi
Carried forward
50
50
Albizzia Lebbek Miscellaneous
31
234
210,542
211,015
19. Nine years experience has shown that two-year old seedings of Pinus sinensis cannot be successfully and economically planted in consequence of the roots penetrating the soil to such a distance that balls of soil cannot be kept adhering so perfectly as desirable to the roots. No seeds of any kind were sown in the nurseries during 1879 for a supply of trees which should have been provided for planting during the year under notice, therefore when the Afforestation Department was returned to my charge in the end of the year 1879 I found that there was nothing available for planting except the refuse in the nurseries after the planting of 1879 had been finished, and these remaining trees were, through having been too much crowded, attenuated and very unpromising subjects for planting on the exposed hills, for which sturdy well grown plants should always be prepared. It was, however, advisable to do something with the available trees, therefore the worst weak and sickly trees were pulled up and sacrificed, to afford what benefit could be obtained during three or four months, which intervened between that time and the tree-planting season, to the trees which were selected for planting. In the face of these drawbacks it was anticipated that, however careful we might be in transplanting, a large percentage of deaths would inevitably ensue, a result which occurred, but not to the extent anticipated; about 20 per cent. only succumbed.
20. About seven years ago an experiment was made of sowing seeds of Pinus sinensis in situ, that is, small places, each about a foot square, were dug and levelled on the hillside where it was intended trees should grow, and on these sites a few seeds were sown. The trees on the plots of ground thus treated succeeded so well, and finding also that the trees reared by the villagers on Chinese territory and on this island had been thus reared, I was induced to prepare and sow 60,000 sites in the same manner. The seedlings on these sites having given sufficient promise of succeeding, a much larger area-viz., nearly 600 acres, containing about 650,000 sites-was selected for this mode of afforestation during 1881. Although the trees reared in situ do not grow so vigorously for the first few years as those reared in and transplanted from nurseries, still the method has much to recommend