177
Report on the Public Gardens and Plantations,
17
15
})
""
27
Jamaica, 1888.
on the Department of Agricultural, Cape-
town, 1888–89.
of the Agricultural Adviser, London,
1887 and 1888.
of the Cinchona Plantation and Factory
in Bengal, 1887-88.
on the Destruction of Cocoa-nut Palms by Beetles, from Director Botanic Gardens, Singapore.
on the Forest Department, Singapore,
Penang and Malacca, 1888.
Royal Botanic Gardens, Calcutta, 1887-
88.
Royal Botanic Gardens, Trinidad, 1888. Transactions of the Hongkong Medical Society.
Purchased.
Indian Forest Reports.
Forest Administration in Assam, 1887-88.
21
"
*
""
""
""
21
"J
""
22
""
in Ajmere-Merwara, 1887–
88.
in the Andamans, 1887-
88.
in the Central Provinces,
1887-88.
in Hyderabad, 1887–88 &
1888-89.
in Madras, 1887-88.
in the North West Pro-
vinces, 1887-88.
On the Course of Instruction at the Forest School,
Dehra Dun, 1887–88.
FORESTRY,
38. The planting operations have been, as customary, distributed over the greater portion of the Colony exclusive of the Cape D'Aguilar and Stanley peninsulas. The operations of preparing lands for the reception of seeds and trees began in August of 1888 and the last tree was planted on June 20th, 1889. There is no interval between the end of one planting season and the beginning of the next, as the selection of lands and making of contracts for the next season's work begins immediately that tree planting is finished. Actual planting began on November 14th, 1888 and, as stated above, was finished on June 20th, 1889, i.e., it extended through a period of about six months, during which planting was done on 126 days. During the whole of the season the greatest care and foresight has to be constantly exercised in selecting suitable conditions of weather for insuring success in transplant- ing operations. The absence of rainfall and of water in streams on the hills at the time of year when trees are in the best condition for transplanting renders it necessary to distribute the planting over wide areas and in localities at great distances apart, so that trees may be planted at convenient dis- tances for artificial watering from such scanty sources as may be available. This, and the fact that the very small bits of land suitable for nurseries are also scattered all over the island compels a system of desultory planting involving the expenditure of much time in superintendence and management which is not felt where natural conditions permit operations to be carried out on more circumscribed and concentrated plans. The yearly extension of lands brought within forestry management and the greater distances of works from head quarters does not diminish the strain experienced in maintaining or developing efficiency in all branches.
39. The work during the year under review has been very heavy and the staff generally has given much satisfaction in so far as their abilities and power went, but there is an insufficiency of educated and experienced assistance at my disposal for carrying out directions and plans of the extent and in the manner which is desirable. The Head Forester, Lo AQWAI, has applied himself with diligence, faithfulness, and intelligence to the work, and he has given much satisfaction generally.
40. Owing to the Contractor who engaged to rear and supply pine trees having failed to produce the full number agreed upon it was not possible to plant so extensively as had been arranged for. The failure was apparently owing to the Contractor's ignorance of methods of cultivation, or careless- ness of management. He failed to supply about two-thirds of the number stipulated for.
•
Pines Reared in situ.
41. A contract was made for 450,000 trees to be reared in situ, and of that number, the Contractor handed over a year after sowing, 429,238. He reported that soon after sowing the seeds small birds attacked and devoured them to a large extent. This seems to be the first year that birds have been noticed to do injury here to forest seeds or trees. At the end of the first year the seedling trees have attained a size varying from three to six inches in height, and from one to about a dozen seedlings in each site, the size and number being influenced by the quality of soil or exposure to wind, or to water collected on the hills in heavy rains and rushing over the sites; these agents being to a considerable extent the cause of many entire failures. The loss from these entire failures however is borne by the Contractor who is paid at the end of the first year for healthy trees only, the price paid being only about a fourth the cost of planting trees. After the in situ trees are taken over from the Contractor a small portion for a year or two will continue to die leaving the strongest to survive in the fittest places. Even with these losses the method has much to recommend it, in economy, over planting. To complete the plantations the gaps are filled up after the trees which have succeeded have grown and shown themselves sufficiently distinct from their surroundings, which is in about two or three years after the seeds were sown. The trees which are used for filling up vacancies are trans-
Page 180Page 181