686
32. Loan of Plants.-There was under this heading a proportionate falling off in the number of plants applied for so that the anticipated doubling of revenue did not follow, the figures remaining but very little in excess of those of the previous year, the small increase was practically of no advantage to the Government and yet the public did not obtain the usual amount of satisfaction. The plants lent are chiefly for public purposes such as balls, concerts, &c., and they consist of specimen plants in pots from 10 inches to 18 inches in diameter, the plants being from 2 feet to 10 feet in height. The numbers lent during the last three years were:-—
1899, 1900,.
1901,
.4,235 .3,651
.2,570
There may have been some little reason for a small increase in the prices of plants sold, but as a profit was already being made on loan plants there was not sufficient reason for an increased rate for them, therefore it has been taken off and the previous rate reverted to, as it was not the original inten- tion, nor is it desirable, that profits should be made out of plants lent for such purposes as these are.
Aviaries and Deer Pens.-The birds and animals continue a source of attraction and are in good condition.
↑
There seems to have been a good deal of mortality amongst them during the year but the numbers have been maintained by various additions from time to time for which thanks are due to the donors.
34. Rainfall. The rainfall was only 58.03 inches, which is the smallest since 1895 when it was only 53.55.
Appendix A gives the statistics.
HERBARIUM.
35. The collections of dried plants are in good condition. Work in this section of the Department during the absence of the Superintendent, naturally, had, as usual, to remain in abeyance.
36. The time of the Superintendent, which had been so much absorbed in additional work in other directions, has not been sufficient to allow of a mass of material which has been accumulating for a few years to be dealt with beyond having collections of dried plants poisoned to preserve them from destruction by insects. These collections now require to be mounted and incorporated but I still have not time to go through them in preparation for the Chinese assistants to do the mounting, nor to incorporate such as are mounted.
37. Herbarium work is conducted entirely by the Superintendent with Chinese assistants only.
LIBRARY.
38. Beyond the usual periodical publications and reports there have been no additions of standard
works.
39. Insects cause a good deal of trouble in the care of books which are in open cases. Closed cases with glass doors which would retain the fumes of naphthaline would probably preserve the books in better condition.
40. Annual Reports, Bulletins, &c., have been received from the following establishments, to the chiefs of whom thanks are due:-
Calcutta, Ceylon, Grenada, Jamaica, Kolonial Museum Haarlem, Mr. Romell, Stockholm; Natal, New South Wales, Rio de Janeiro, Royal Gardens, Kew; Saharapur, Sydney, Straits Settlements, Trinidad, the Agricultural Departments of Cape of Good Hope, England, Queensland, United States of America, University of California, West Indies, Zanzibar, Forest Administration in Assam, Ajmere Merwara, Baluschistan, Bengal, Burma, Bombay, Central Province, Coorg, Hyderabad, Madras, North- West Provinces and Oudh, Punjab, Western Australia.
Purchased:-
-
Gardeners' Chronicle, 1901. Journal of Botany, 1901. Botanical Magazine, 1901.
Presented :-
Flor Forestère de la Cochine-by Royal Gardens, Kew.
Hooker's Icones Plantarum-by the Bentham Trustees through Royal Gardens, Kew.
FORESTRY IN HONGKONG.
41. Planting operations in Hongkong were the smallest on record since afforestation work was. established. The total number of trees planted was 1,719 which amounted to one small day's work in the usual order of planting. Annual plantings should, at least, equal the number of trees destroyed by fire or by illicit tree cutters in the previous year which, however, exceeded those planted by 971,