479
The following periodicals and other works have been purchased:—
Gardeners' Chronicle, Journal of Botany, Revue des Cultures Coloniales,
Botanisches Centralblatt, Botanical Magazine, Geographical Journal.
Nicholl, Tropical Agriculture.
Massee, Textbook of Plant Diseases.
Jackson, Glossary of Botanic Terms.
Diels, Flora von Central China.
Maximowicz, Diagn. Plant. Nov. Asiat. iii-vi.
Bretschneider, History of European Discovery in China.
FORESTRY.
The time has now arrived for the Colony to profit to the full extent by the foresight of the Government of a former generation.
In the late seventies tree planting was seriously undertaken and from the year 1882 to 1885 the annual expenditure of $12,000 was expressly sanctioned for afforestation, and from 200,000 to 300,000 young Pines were planted each year. As the island became more completely covered with plantations, the operatious and annual votes gradually diminished, until the present time. when the planting of a few thousand trees can be covered by a small portion of the tree planting vote of $3,450. As a result of this policy there are now nearly 5,000 acres of Pine upon the Island and the oldest plantations, now between 25 and 30 years old, are ready to fell and replant.
The Pine plantations are of very various ages and sizes and much time has been devoted during the year to a careful examination of them and subsequently to delineating them on maps and schedules (cf. Appendices B and C) so that a systematic working plan can be drawn up to ensure as far as possible an uniform annual outturn of timber. The surface of the island has been divided for this purpose into seven main divisions, and each of these into six to eight blocks containing from fifty to two or three hundred acres of l'ine plantation each. primary object of this preliminary inspection of the plantations was to obtain statistics upon which to found a working plan for the future, but the results have a further interest as showing what return the Government have for their outlay of former years.
The
Forest Offences.-Considering the fewness of the Forest Guards-5 in all-or one to each 1,000 acres of plantation, the number of trees stolen is small, only 427 during the year, and taken together with the 50 offenders brought to justice and convicted, reflects much credit on these Officers. For the distribution of the offences, ef. Appendix D.
Fires.-Only one serious fire occurred among the Government plantations. This was to the West of Tytam Tuk and extended over about 4 acres destroying 860 Pine trees. It was only by the promptness and energy of the Police that the fire was prevented from spreading to a much greater extent in that thickly planted
district.
Clearing. An unusual amount of the time of the Forestry staff has been occupied in clearing the ground for Public Works.
Planting. The planting was unusually limited in extent owing to the partial failure of the pine seedling crop. (cf. Appendix F.)
Protection.--The fire-barriers were cleaned thronghout and extended to protect new plantations near the Taipo Road in the New Territory.
VISITORS.
Dr HANS HALLIER paid a short visit to Hongkong during the summer as part of the programme of a scientific mission to the East upon which he had been sent by the Hamburg Botanische Institute. Every assistance was given to him in carrying out his undertaking and a large collection of plants made by him in the Island was prepared and despatched for him by the Departinent. The Con- volvulaceæ in the Colonial Herbarium, were very kindly revised by Dr. HALLIER, who is regarded as the chief authority on the Order.