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HONGKONG.
REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF THE BOTANICAL AND AFFORESTATION DEPARTMENT FOR 1896.
Laid before the Legislative Council by Command of
His Excellency the Governor.
123
No. 7
97
No. 7.
BOTANIC GARDENS, HONGKONG, 4th February, 1897.
SIR,-I have the honour to submit for the information of His Excellency the Governor the Annual Report on this Department for 1896.
STAFF.
1. The second clerk, Mr. CHAN WAI HING, retired on May 31st and was succeeded on June 22nd by Mr. CHAN TSUN UN after selection by competitive examination.
2. LUI ASZE, a foreman gardener, retired on pension on the 31st August at the age of 69 after 32 years faithful service in this department.
REVENUE,
3. The receipts continue to increase, being about 13 per cent greater than those of the preceding. year. The income was :-
From Plant Sales,
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Loan of Plants, Forestry Products,
................$ 843.75
177.30 751.44
$1,772.49
BOTANIC GARDENS.
TYPHOON.
4. The typhoon which swept over the Colony on the 29th July was the severest experienced here since the disastrous one of 1874. The gardens suffered very greatly by the loss and injury of trees and shrubs, which, together with the losses in 1894 from successive typhoons of that year, left traces which will take many years to recover from. The plant houses and other structures received but a small amount of damage owing to timely and efficient precautions having been taken to secure movable parts in such a manner as secured their safety. Portions which were carried away were renewed in a more substantial manner. The glass-houses came out of the storm unscathed with the exception of a few pieces of glass broken by material falling on them.
Many trees and shrubs were completely stripped of their foliage, but new growths of branches and leaves were quickly made, and in some instances trees which flower usually only once a year produced a second crop of flowers on the new shoots.
LAWN CATERPILLARS.
5. These appeared again this year at about the usual time, but instead of using expensive liquids, which are troublesome in application, for the destruction of the pest I tried the experiment of daily rolling the grass, where the insects appeared, from about 3 P.M. until nightfall, that being the feeding time of the caterpillar. This was so far successful that very little injury was done to the lawn by the pest.
WORKMENS' COTTAGES.
6. The old buildings in Garden Road in which some of the workmen were housed, and in which tools, &c., were kept, were condemned early in the year and a new building was sanctioned; this is situated on a new site close to the old buildings and its construction is considerably advanced.
VEGETABLE Garden.
7. The sudden demand for building sites to the eastward of the Botanic Gardens led me to recommend the removal of the vegetable garden which has existed in connection with this department for about 30 years to the site adjoining that which was used as a storage ground for composts, manures, and garden refuse. The recommendation was approved, a contract was made for the work, and its execution nearly completed when I received instructions to abolish the vegetable garden and make other arrangements for the storage of manure, &c., so that the whole of the land might be vacated,