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55. In the beginning of March I observed the caterpillar of this moth on trees at North Point, but it existed only in very small numbers on a few trees. I kept it under very careful observation and found towards the end of April that it had appeared in many other localities, but there did not then seem any reason to suppose that it was necessary to adopt more special means for its destruction than in the previous two years. However, in May its extremely rapid increase in numbers and in size demonstrated an unusual visitation, and on May 15th I reported to the Government its presence and advised that immediate steps should be taken to destroy it. My recommendations met with His Excellency the Governor's approval, and I was at once provided with all the means and assistance which I had represented was necessary to carry out the work, and a careful organization was quickly completed.
56. The work to be accomplished was so extensive that it was necessary to secure auxilliary aid. This, fortunately, existed at the various police stations throughout the island and in Kowloon, and this assistance was, on application, placed at once at my disposal, with the sanction of the Government, by Mr. Mar, Captain Superintendent of Police.
57. The first steps taken were to employ a portion of the permanent staff of the department to collect caterpillars, in order to ascertain what would be a fair price to offer for them and then to communicate the information to the labouring classes in the town and villages that all who were inclined for the work would be employed to collect caterpillars.
58. Instructions were sent to the officers in charge of certain police stations to receive and pay for, by weight, all caterpillars which might be brought in, at the same time printed notices in Chinese offering payment for caterpillars were posted all over the Colony. Funds for disbursement on account of the work were advanced to the West Point, Pokfulam, Aberdeen, Shaukiwan and No. 2 Police Stations in Hongkong, and to those of Yaumati and Hunghom in Kowloon.
59. Operations commenced on May 24th, and on the 25th all the receiving stations were actively employed. In a short time there seemed no limit to the number of workers who could be obtained, whole families going to the hills to collect, At the busiest time there were probably over 1,000 people employed, and so great was the quantity of caterpillars brought in that the work of weighing them and paying away money, which was done daily, became a very severe task, occupying the greater portions of the afternoons. As the caterpillars increased in size, and therefore became easier to collect, the price offered was gradually reduced, and it was in like manner increased again in proportion to the work of collecting as the caterpillars became scarcer.
60. About the 12th of June nearly all the caterpillars had been collected, and as cocoons were forming the work of collecting them was then commenced and it was practically completed by the middle of July.
In
61. Communications were maintained daily by telephone or writing between the Gardens and the police stations, instructions being issued as required, and reports being sent in daily from the police stations, so that the Superintendent was in constant touch with all the work which was going on. addition, the Superintendent made visits of inspection as frequently as his absence from head quarters could be spared. The Head Forester and one Clerk were employed almost daily for two months in conveying supplies of money to the stations, 95 advances having been made in this manner.
62. The Government was kept constantly informed of the progress of the work.
63. Mr. TUTCHER rendered efficient and willing service in assisting to carry out the arrangements which were planned for the extirpation of the plague, and in supervising the completion of the work which remained to be done, (chiefly the collection of cocoons) at the time when the Superintendent was satisfied that the work was so nearly complete that he could go on vacation leave, which he had post- poned while his presence was required to conduct the work.
64. Statistics of the work were carefully kept, and these enabled Mr. TUTCHER, together with useful observations which he had made when inspecting plantations, to draw up the report which he submitted on the 10th of July.
65. This year the caterpillar re-appeared in April, but not in greater numbers than half a dozen coolies, who are still daily employed, have been able to destroy as fast as discovered. In the discovery of
caterpillars the Forest Guards are employed to inspect trees, and to report daily, while they are engaged in their ordinary work.
66. The caterpillars were in myriads on nearly all the pine trees of the Colony, but they were much more numerous in certain places; these were Aberdeen New Road, Deep Water Bay, Causeway Bay, Quarry Bay, and Mt. Parker in Hongkong, and near Yaumati in Kowloon. The trees in those places were almost entirely denuded of their leaves. Many trees, which had been thus denuded and which were growing on unusually barren and dry soil, eventually died, but other trees made new, but weak, growth when the rains arrived; now, all are making new shoots of increased vigour, which promise complete recovery from the attack.
67. After the work of collecting had been in operation some time, and the trees were getting cleared I took the precaution of posting men along the boundary which divides British Kowloon from Chinese territory in order to intercept people who might be tempted to bring in caterpillars from China