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578
THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 31ST JULY, 1880.
trees when in the nurseries were not thinned as they should have been; and when they were planted they were pulled out of the ground, thus greatly injuring their roots, instead of being carefully lifted the roots were not properly protected from sun and weather, consequently, before reaching their distant destinations the plants had frequently greatly suffered from lack of moisture in their tissues, which. after planting, the lacerated roots were unable to repair. The plants, from overcrowding in the nurseries. were also weakened in the parts proceeding from the plumule, so that both radicle and plumule bein so much damaged, the vitality of the plant was reduced to its lowest ebb. When planting, the hole's also were not filled with soil, but were receptacles for a superabundance of water during every shower, which kept the roots in a miniature swamp, at a time when the plants, with their damaged organs, were not in condition to assimilate so much moisture. The trees were also planted too deep; in many I found the sinall stems were covered with soil to a depth of six inches,
cases
14. Had experience and intelligence, such as could only have been obtained by careful observation and study of the science of plant life, and a knowledge of expedients for the greatest economy of labour. been continually brought to bear on the direction of the work, we should not now have to record the sad result of the year's work.
15. As bearing upon the foregoing remarks, it might be well to call to mind a few physiological facts upon which vegetable life depends.
16. In many seeds the vital principle is so strong that, to scatter them upon the soil, and to cover them slightly with earth, is sufficient to insure their rapid germination; but in others, the powers of growth will only manifest themselves under more favourable conditions; it is therefore necessary to consider well upon what the circumstances most suitable to germination depend. In dealing with many varieties of seeds, the greatest care in applying the agencies of moisture, shade, soil, covering, &c., is essential. Different kinds of seeds require different kinds of treatment to meet their varied demands; and not only this during the process of germination, but between the time of collecting the seeds and committing them to their seed-beds, boxes, pots, or whatever may be the situation demanded. The nature of the seed, whether oily, resinous, hard, soft, having a thick or thin testa, &c.; the known duration of retaining vitality under ordinary circumstances and under altered and varying conditions, must all be taken into account, weighed and considered from manifold views; all this requiring the time and skill of an expert to deal successfully with.
17. The extreme points of roots are exceedingly delicate, and are injured by trifling causes : moreover, since all newly-formed vegetable matter is extremely hygrometrical, they have the power of absorbing, with rapidity, any fluid or gaseous matter that may be presented to them. In roots of ordinary exogens, the tip or spargelet consists of very loose, tender cellular tissue, resting upon a blunt cone of woody matter, composed principally of woody tubes, and connected with the albumen of the stem. It is the opinion of most vegetable physiologists that the absorbing or feeding powers are conducted principally at the points, and that the general surface of the root possesses little or no feeding power. It is almost entirely through their action that the enormous waste of fluid, which takes place in plants by perspiration, is made good; hence their importance to plants, and the danger of destroying them becomes manifest.
18. The functions of respiration, perspiration, and digestion, which are the particular offices of leaves, are absolutely necessary to the health of a tree, its healthfulness being in proportion to the degree in which these functions are performed, hence the importance of preserving those in a healthy condition is seen.
19. An excellent authority on forest management says:- "How necessary it is that forester- should become throughly acquainted with the laws that govern the healthy development of trees before they have the management of rearing them."
III. DEDUCTIONS ARRIVED AT FROM EXPERIENCE IN DEPARTMENTAL MANAGEMENT. 20. The consideration of the foregoing, and much more which, if recapitulated, would render this report too prolix, confirms me in the belief that it is most important that the Botanical ani Forest management should be in charge of one and the same person, and that the Superintendent the Gardens; as botanical, arboricultural and horticultural works are all so intimately connected, tha: in a small Colony like ours the three branches of one profession cannot be separate without detrime to one and all. The Superintendent has so many things to deal with in the three branches, that le should be as unfettered as possible by official routine and circumlocution, such as existed when th gardens were a sub-department of the Survey Department, when delays occurred in dealing with subjects requiring prompt attention, which were fatal to the business in hand. As one instance, may mention the delay in dealing with the plants of Pithecolobium Saman last year, which ended in disastrous results. This plant was introduced, through Kew Gardens, from South America, an was successfully treated in our nursery, 1300 plants being reared, but the Survey Department coul! not be induced to move in the matter of transferring them to the forest establishment until after more. than three months after I had reported them as requiring prompt attention. The importance of the things seems to be unappreciated by the officials of the Survey Department, which is, perhaps, much to be wondered at, seeing that the knowledge of such things does not form part of their prote sional training. As one more instance of that department's inability to cope. with this department's
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