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THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 17TH OCTOBER, 1874.
Superintendent of Government Gardens to Surveyor General.
GOVERNMENT GARDENS, HONGKONG, 2nd October, 1874.
SIR,-I have the honour to forward, in compliance with instructions conveyed in C.S.O. No. 2862, a Report on the damage sustained by trees, shrubs, &c., during the late typhoon.
GOVERNMENT GARDENS.
In the gardens, the largest trees, as might have been expected, suffered the most severely. Several of the oldest and largest have been entirely destroyed, e. g., one of the two large "Banians" Ficus retusa, some Casuarinas, a few of the old trees of Pinus sinensis, against the water tank, a fine Longan, a Tetranthera, a good tree of Sophora Japonica, and a few good Poincianas regia, although these, some of the finest specimen individual trees have been destroyed, the kinds are not lost to the gardens, as there are other specimens remaining of all those species. Many other specimens which were equally as fine as the above, although not destroyed, are severely damaged, having nearly the whole of their branches broken off, or the trees themselves laid prostrate on the ground. Many of the trees which have their branches broken off, but which have not had their roots broken or too severely strained, will, during the next year produce other very vigorous branches and luxuriant foliage.
A considerable number of the smaller trees and shrubs are entirely destroyed by having been broken off at the ground; while others have been blown over and a great portion of their roots exposed to air and light to such an extent as to be inimical to their well doing: many of their roots were also much lacerated, which will certainly much injure the health of the plants, although probably only in a few cases sufficiently to cause their deaths. Operations were at once commenced. for the preservation of as many of the trees and shrubs as there was any prospect of saving, and the greater portion of them are now replanted and supported.
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The effects of this typhoon will be apparent on the general appearance and health of the plants many years, in many cases the plants will never recover their former vigour during their existence. The continual straining and breakage both to 'roots and branches which plants are subject to here in the numerous typhoons, will always prevent them being developed into such perfect specimens as are generally seen in gardens that are not visited by such terrific hurricanes.
The flowerpots containing plants in various parts of the gardens were broken in great numbers, but the plants themselves, excepting annuals, which can soon be replaced, although greatly disfigured, will in a little time recover their former appearances.
In the nurseries, the plants in pots have been considerably disturbed in the soil, and consequently slightly injured, but from this they will soon recover.
FOREST DEPARTMENT.
In the streets and roads, a large number of fine and aged trees have been blown down or so much damaged as to necessitate their removal at once, which has been done. The localities in which trees have suffered most severely are in the part of Queen's Road near the Military Store Department, where the trees were very large; in Queen's Road at Spring Gardens, where about half a dozen fine trees were lost; in the Cricket Ground; one fine tree near the entrance to the City Hall; in Caine- Road and Bonham Road; in Garden Road; and in the vicinity of the Government Offices. A very large number of the younger trees have also been much loosened and blown down, which has injured the roots more or less, thus checking their growth for some time.
I have observed that in nearly all cases where trees were blown down in the typhoon of September, 1871, and those trees were again set upright and have continued to grow up to the late typhoon, they have again fallen, and in several cases are this time entirely destroyed, thus proving as a general rule that when once a tree suffers so severely as to cause its prostration, that little reliance can be placed on that tree ever afterwards continuing or becoming a round and healthy one.
Bowrington Compound.-Most of the largest trees here were blown down and a few of them broken off above or at the roots. All that showed any signs of life or prospect of recovery have been again set upright and supported, which will perhaps preserve them for a few years, until pine trees, which I purpose planting there next year, grow to some size. The greater portion of the compound exhibits signs of having been flooded with salt water, or perhaps a mixture of fresh and salt water, and if this is so, we may expect the trees to be still further injured, or their recovery retarded by the salt which must have been deposited in the soil.
I have the honour to be,
Sir,
Your most obedient Servant,
CHARLES FORD,
Superintendent Government Gardens.
J. M. PRICE, Esq.,
Surveyor General.