204
MOUNTAIN Lodge Grounds.
18. During the year great progress was made with the laying out of these Gardens, and before the Superintendent left for home, most of the work in them had been completed. Work was carried on afterwards as far as funds would allow, but there are still some small matters to finish in the Gardens, as well as nearly the whole of the grounds, amounting to about 45 acres, which surround the building. The typhoon on the 2nd of August did very great damage to the shrubs and plants which had only been put in during the previous month, and consequently they have not made as much progress as they would have done under more favourable cir-
cumstances.
KING'S PARK, KOWLOON.
19. His Excellency Sir WILLIAM J. GASCOIGNE, K.C.M.G., cut the first sod of this Park on August 6th, and on the same day Lady GASCOIGNE planted a camphor tree in the Park, in connection with the festivities then being celebrated in comme- moration of the Coronation of His Majesty the King.
20. Nothing further, however, was done in laying out the grounds, but previous to the Superintendent's departure for England, a sum of $5,000 was placed in the Estimates of the Public Works Department for 1903, for carrying on the work.
WESTERN DISTRICT PARK.
21. The land on the north side of Lower Richmond Road was treated in a somewhat similar way to that which had been done on the south side of the same road in 1898, but not so much was done in the way of beautifying the place.
ECONOMIC GARDEN.
22. Perhaps it is as well to place on record the fact that Mr. LI PAK is doing excellent experimental work on his estate at Castle Peak. He informs me that his grounds amount to about 600 mow, (about 60 acres), and he has under cultivation sugar cane, mulbery trees, fruit trees, flowers and vegetables. Mr. LI PAK has adopted western methods in his cultural experiments, and he deserves every success in his undertaking.
23. Last year cuttings of Honolulu and Province Wellesley sugar cane were supplied to him by this Department, and these were grown side by side with the Chinese variety.
24. Samples of juice obtained from the three varieties were recently analysed by Mr. FRANK BROWNE, the Government Analyst, and the following is an extract from his Report:--
Total sugar,
Ash...
Other organic matter,
Total solid matter,
Specific Gravity at 15.50 C.,
Honolulu.
Province Wellesley.
Chinese.
Per cent.
Per cent.
Per cent.
16.10
15.80
.17
.18
13.50 .49
.89
1.01
1.08
17.16
16.99
15.07
1.072
1.070
1.063
25. Mr. LI PAK has expressed his willingness to grow on trial any plants which may be given to him by this Department, so that the Government is not altogether losing the advantages of a Departmental Experimental Garden.
FORESTRY IN HONGKONG.
26. Tree Planting.-The total number of trees planted in Hongkong was 6,402.
27. Tree Seed Sowing. A quantity of pine tree seed was sown broadcast which was estimated to produce 66,000 trees. Owing, however, to the exceptionally dry spring very little of the seed germinated, so that the actual number of trees produced is very far short of the estimate. Where necessary, sowings will be made again this year. Statistics are giveu in Appendix C.