446
In the "Flora Hongkongensis," BENTHAM enumerates 1,053 species. The additions (including HANCE's 75) since the publication of the Flora now amount to between 400 and 500, and the publication of a new Flora (which should include all plants known from the New Territory) is becoming a growing necessity.
FORESTRY.
It will be remembered that the questions asked by the Hon. Mr. SHEWAN, in Legislative Council on September 14th, 1904, led to a useful discussion (Legislative Council Paper No. 36 of 1905) upon the best method of managing the Pine plantations on the Island. Even- tually the help of the Indian Forestry Department was sought and the Inspector General of Forests advised that the trees should be allowed to grow for 30 years (or in exceptional cases 35) before being felled. This rotation was adopted by the Hongkong Government with the slight change that 35 was to be the normal, 30 or less the exceptional term. further decided not to cut down blocks of trees except in the part of the Island remote from Victoria, viz.. the Tytam and Stanley divisions; the "shelterwood strip system" was to be adopted in the Shaukiwan, Aberdeen and Pokfulam divisions, while the two divisions reaching from Belchers Bay to the Happy Valley are, His Excellency the Governor has since decided, to be preserved for artistic effect only.
It was
The principal localities planted with pine during the year were Aberdeen (96,000 trees), this was the block cut down in 1904; Yaumati (50,000); Pokfulam (10,000); and Tytamtuk (10,000). Vide Tables III and IV.
Very little felling took place during the year in consequence of the uncertainty which existed concerning the best means of conducting it. Unfortunately, however, the number of trees removed was swelled by an unusually large quantity of dead timber. As this depart- ment pointed out in 1904, the greater part of the plantations in the Island consist of tree which fall off in growth after 20 years and, no doubt, a considerable percentage die at that age or during the subsequent decade.
One of the great advantages of afforestation is the improvement of the soil. Pines will grow on very poor soil, but after one or two generations make the ground rich enough to support more valuable and more beautiful trees. This result will never be realized however in Hongkong, nor will the pines themselves flourish until the Chinese have been taught not to scrape up the rich pine needle humus from the plantations for fuel. In some old plant- ations the ground is kept as bare and sandy as when the trees were planted. In consider- ation of these facts it is satisfactory that the hands of the forest guards have been greatly strengthened during the year for dealing with this difficulty and a large number of marau- ders have been arrested and punished.
The only serious cases of organized stealing of timber occurred at Aberdeen Brick Works and at Mong Kok (Table V). In the former case one man was caught after great difficulty and heavily punished. In the latter case three partners of the Government timber contractor were arrested and convicted, receiving various terms of imprisonment and banishment.
The Chinese licensed pine plantations in the New Territory have been regularly visited during the year. No cases of overcutting have been detected. A few licences have been cancelled because of the unauthorized cutting of wild trees by their holders. In order to facilitate the re-sowing of felled areas in the Chinese Forest Lots a notice was issued in Nov- ember reminding Licence holders of their obligation to re-sow and offering seed from the Government plantations at cost price for the purpose. Owing to the scarcity of mature seed-bearing trees in the Chinese plantations the necessary quantity for re-sowing had pre- viously been bought by plantation owners from Canton at about $6 per b. as far as could be ascertained. A good many applicants have, as a result, been provided with Government seed at 70 cents per lb. This reduces the cost of seed sufficient for one acre to 3 cents, when sown in the Chinese way.
The Chinese plantations in the Shatin Valley, from the Government Forest Nursery at Kanghau south-westwards to the gap, have been purchased by the Government. This block is more or less under the eye of the Government workmen at Kanghau and will require little extra protection. It is fairly well stocked with trees and these will be useful as shelter for the regular plantations when formed.