325
18. PLANT HOUSES.-The fern collection continues to improve and it shows the great advantage which the house constructed for its accommodation three years ago has been to it, not only in pro- viding the more suitable conditions which were indispensable for successful cultivation, but also in exhibiting the beauties of the plants to greater advantage.
19. The plant house which was built two years ago for other classes of plants, especially foliage plants and orchids, has also been successful in the purpose for which it was designed. A number of orchids which had previously not been successfully cultivated have made better growth, and been preserved in a healthy and vigorous state in consequence of our being able to meet their requirements more completely by the facilities to regulate the shade, shelter, and moisture which the house affords. There is, however, room for great improvement in orchid cultivation, which can only be achieved by the closest and most constant study of the wants of the plants, and unceasing supervision and direction of the workmen in the application of all that plants require.
20. The old structure with a glass roof, the first one of any kind which the Gardens possessed, and which I had built 14 years ago, contains ornamental foliage plants, some orchids, and a few ferns which cannot be grown in this climate without protection from the cold and dry climate of the cool season. These plants it would be utterly impossible to grow without such protection. The house, however, in both size and design meets in a very imperfect manner the needs of the plants; it is in a rotten, tumble-down condition, but I am loth to appropriate much money for repairs to it.
21. This house has fulfilled a good purpose in proving that with such aid very interesting and lovely plants may be grown here, which otherwise it would be impossible to keep alive. Instead of repairing it I hope the Government will be able to grant a sum of money for the Erection of a Glass- house which will be more commodious, and which will be worthy of our justly famed Gardens and Colony. The house could be filled at once with plants, and it would be a source of the greatest. pleasure and benefit to the public.
22. AVIARIES AND ANIMALS' PENS.-In the aviaries several birds have been missing, and others found dead. The assumption is that the mischief has been done by some animal, probably by cats wild or tame. I have not attempted to procure other birds to take the places of the missing ones, because, I hope during the year to be able to put up some new cages which will exclude cats from the larger birds, and rats from the smaller ones. When these cages are up, a few more birds will be
obtained.
23. The posts and wire netting which enclose the deer and large birds are much decayed, as well as the little houses inside. All of this I hope likewise, during the year to put in better order, and to improve the general appearance of the pens.
I
24. ST. IGNATIUS' BEANS (Strychnos Ignatii, Berg.) am indebted for specimens of dried leaves and wood of this to Mr. Crow, the Government Analyst, who has exerted himself in obtaining them from the Philippine Islands in order to endeavour to clear up the botanical origin of this important drug. Mr. VIDAL, Inspector-General of Forests at Manila, however, has succeeded in procuring complete specimens necessary for the conclusive determination of the plant. A description and two plates have been inserted as an appendix in the "Revision de Plantas Vasculares Filipinas" which Mr. VIDAL published last year. "Descriptions of the plant were given by LOUREIRO as far back as 1793, and by BLANCO in 1845, but no complete herbarium specimens seem to have been accessible until last year.
25. CHINESE STAR ANISE-In my report for 1883 I mentioned that through the enterprise and kindness of Mr. H. Korsch, who was then Commissioner of Customs at Pakhoi, some very small seedlings of what was reputed to be the Chinese Star Anise plant had been obtained. These were very carefully nursed, and they had been watched and well cared for since that time. One of them has
grown
into a small tree 10 feet high, and in September last it rewarded us for the care bestowed on it by producing a few flowers, which were sufficient to enable the species to be ascertained. On reference to the works in the Gardens library I found that it was neither Illicium religiosum Sieb. et Zuc. nor I. anis-atum, Linn. The former is the Japanese Star Anise and the latter is the plant which had been supposed to yield Chinese Star Anise. I submitted specimens to Kew Gardens for comparison with the dried plants stored in its magnificent herbarium, and with descriptions of species in the library there. Mr. THISELTON DYER, the Director of the Gardens, in reply informs me that the speci- men sent is referred to Illicium cambodiense of which Kew has specimens from Dr. PIERE besides the latter's figure in "Flore Forestrie de Cochin-Chine," and that it is nearly allied to I. Griffithii. H. f. and T., and I. majus, H. f. and T., two Indian species. This is an important additional step in this very interesting question, but the seedlings having been obtained through natives, the question of the source of Chinese Star Anise cannot be considered quite settled, as we have yet to prove that the plants which we have of Illicium cambodiense are identical with those which really furnish the Anise of commerce. This cannot be satisfactorily decided until the Anise plants are seen in the districts where they grow by a reliable European, or until our plants produce seeds, when the capsules and seeds can be compared with those in trade; if the two then prove to be identical we may feel pretty sure that the origin of Chinese Star Anise has been discovered. The few flowers which were produced last year were all
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