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September began with exceptionally heavy rain by which considerable havoc was wrought in the gardens, among other things interfering with the flowering of the large night-flowering Cereus (Cereus triangularis) which promised an unusual profusion of flowers.
In October the huge and unsightly flowers of Aristolochia Gigas attracted much attention and the beautiful Gordonia anomala produced its usual fine show
of blossom.
November suffered from the early failure of the rains which practically ceased after the downpour of the 2nd week in September.
The feature of the New Gardens during December was the profuse and per- sistent flowering of a Bauhinia near the deer pen. The mysterious origin of the tree and its magnificent flowers at once arrest the interest. A tree of it was discovered between 20 and 30 years ago in the woods on Mount Davis from which it was introduced by its finder into the gardens of the Pokfulum Sanatorium and from there to the Botanic Gardens and to the Roman Catholic Cathedral at Can- ton. No fruit bas yet been observed on these trees; they are therefore probably not native here, but, so far, all efforts to identify them with any foreign species have failed.
In October the Superintendent took the opportunity offered by his journey to the north to pay a visit to Mr. W. H. WALLACE's beautiful garden at Amoy; the information which that gentleman most kindly supplied as to the methods that have led to his remarkable success in certain branches of gardening should prove of much value.
OTHER GROUNDS.
Government House grounds.-These grounds were maintained as usual during the year.
Mountain Lodge grounds.-The terraces on the north, south and west sides of the bouse were turfed during the spring.
In the autumn extensive operations were commenced with a view to improv- ing the appearance of the valley below the house on the south-east. This valley had contained a vegetable garden drained by a straight central channel, and was unsightly from the windows of the house. The object was to restore to it the natural beauty that it must once have possessed. The bottom of the valley was cleared of rank growth, and evenly graded on both sides down to a stream follow- ing the base of the east slope. By the end of the year only the turfing and planting of shrubs and trees on the slopes remained to be done.
A foot path was also commenced through the natural thickets of Azalea and other shrubs that grow among the rocks on the west of the grounds.
The Colonial Cemetery.-The gardening operations in the Cemetery were taken over from the Public Works Department in December.
Grounds around the Government Offices.-These were also taken over from the Public Works Department in December.
Roadside plots.-There are 43 small plots of ground, laid out from time to time as rockeries or planted with ferns and shrubs, varying from a few square yards to an acre. These have been maintained during the year, and an additional rockery added at the junction of Peak and Robinson Roads.
Garden and Forest Nurseries.-Five nurseries are in use for gardening and forestry purposes outside the Botanic Gardens, viz., at Sookunpo and Kowloon for gardening and forestry, at North Point and Kang Hau for forestry alone, and at East Point for the cultivation of Bamboos. The lack of sufficient nursery accom- modation in connection with the Botanic Gardens and forthcoming gardening works in other parts of the town has necessitated the setting apart of some addi- tional ground between Garden Road and Albany Nullah for this purpose.
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