320
The late Baron Sir F. VoN MUELLER had corresponded regularly on botanical subjects and exchanged seeds, &c., with this department for a great number of years, and to him, I believe, I was indebted for the seeds from which our original trees were raised.
24. The exhaustion of soil in nurseries owing to repeated cropping and the removal with the trees of a portion of soil during many years renders it much more difficult than formerly to rear trees for planting, and the rapid absorption of lands, previously under cultivation, for other public works and industries has left very little suitable land available for tree nurseries, so that it is impossible to obtain desirable change of land.
THINNING OF PLANTATIONS.
25. Plantations in 13 localities were thinned by the removal of 23,444 trees. Particulars are given in Appendix E.
PROTECTIVE SERVICE.
26. Illicit tree-cutting greatly increased in the past year, 1,961 trees having been cut. The number of convictions obtained was 59.
This branch of work formed the subject of a special report in C.S.O. No. 254 of 1898 where suggestions were made for action which, it is anticipated, will have the effect of checking the destruction of trees.
FIRES.
27. Grass fires were again less numerous and destructive; there were only 15 fires, and trees were destroyed in only four cases, the total number being 1,185. A list of localities where fires occurred and the number of trees destroyed are furnished in Appendix E.
I have the honour to be,
Sir,
Your most obedient Servant,
CHARLES FORD, Superintendent,
Botanical and Afforestation Department.
Acampe multiflora. Ærides affine.
Lawrencia.
Leeanum.
99
Lobbii.
13
odoratum.
"
Appendix A.
ORCHIDS CULTIVATED IN THE BOTANIC GARDENS.
Those marked * have flowered during the year.
Cattleya Leopoldii.
Loddigesii Harrisonae.
步步
Mendelii.
"
"
Mossige.
Trianaei.
}}
*Cleisostoma Fordii.
"
quinquevulnerum.
suavissimum.
testaceum.
Anæectochilus Dawsonianus.
"
Roxburghii.
sp.
Ansellia africana. Appendicula bifaria.
* Arundina chinensis.
* Bletia hyacinthina.
•
Bulbophyllum delitescens.
"3
ور
radiatum.
siamense.
71
virginale.
Coelogyne cristata.
fimbriata.
19
flaccida.
15
lentiginosa.
19
י
pandurata. Schilleriana.
speciosa.
* Cottonia Championii.
Cymbidium aloifolium.
cburneum.
elegans. ensifolium. pendulum.
sinense.
"
39
"
sp.
11
**
"
sp.
"
sp.
"3
sp.
*Calanthe vestita.
"J
sp.
"
31
Intea.
rosea.
"
"
* Calathea curculigoides.
"
Veitchii. veratrifolia.
Cattleya bicolor.
crispa superba. Dowiana.
??
12
95
J
وو
aurea.
Eldorado. Gaskelliana.
25
Gigas,
22
labiata.
Lawrensiana.
33
Cypripedium argus.
Ashburtoniæ.
barbatum O Brieni.
bellatuluni.
Calypso.
Charlesworthii.
1:
;}
11
ciliolare.
*
Cythera.
Dayanum.
J"
"1
97
*
19
Euryale. Exul.
Germinyanum. Godseffianum.
Haynaldianum.
: