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April 22, 1905.]
secured licences for plantations to which they had no right; the proper owners in spite of repeated notices and warnings failing to present themselves until they found the licensee cutting
down their trees
of
China New Year Shrub. (Enkianthus quinqueflorus.)-This shrub, which is one the most beautiful of all our rich shrab flora. has yearly been becoming more and more scarce on the hills in consequence of the amount that has been cut by the Chinese at each New Year to sell for decorations. If the cutting had been judicious little harm would have been done, but in consequence of the ruthless destruction of whole shrubs the species was, at any rate in this Island, on its way to extinction, an eventuality which would suit the Chinese as little as the other nature-loving residents. An effort was therefore made at the proper time to protect our hills and, although there appears to have been a plentiful supply of the shrub in the market, the greater part of it must have come from Canton, for very little catting took place in Hongkong and the New Territory.
Aleurites cordata. The flourishing planta- tion of young Tung Yau trees at Kang Hau Nursery was further increased by a thousand plants raised from seed obtained from the interior.
Cassia. Twelve forlorn Cassia trees (Cinnamomum Cassia), possibly the last of the large numbers planted out on the hills in former years, were rescued from a valley near Aberdeen, where they had been almost killed by the repeated stripping off of their valuable bark by the Chinose, and transplanted into the Government Nursery at Sookunpo.
Pollard Pine-trees.-During the Forestry Licence rounds a system of cultivating the local (Pinus massoniana) was met with at Lung Ko Tan, which is, so far as can be ascertained, unique. In this method the same advantages are aimed at as by the well known European system of pollarding. But the pollarding of coniferous trees seems to be unknown in Europe. The exact method employed with the Pines here is as follows: At 10 years old when the tree is about 12 feet high the top half is cut off. After five years more the lower branches are cut off. Shoots soon appear from the cut parts and these are cut every five years together with the upper remaining internode this tree produces annual whorles of branches-until, after 20 to 25 years. the whole is used up. This method is not used in any other part of the New Territory. The Hakka families who practise it believe that they came from Wei Chou in North-East Kwantung
about 150 years ago.
STREET TREES.
In connection with the new Tramway, 17 Banyans were transplated near Causeway Bay
and in Arsenal Street.
Forty-five Albizzia and 28 Celtis were planted in the West part of Des Voeux Road. In fine
weather in summer this road is one of the most mercilessly hot and glaring spots in the town. It will be greatly benefitted by the freshness and shade of these trees.
AGRICULTURE IN THE COLONY, Cattle food.-In cooperation with the Colonial Veterinary Surgeon, some experiments were made by the Botanical and Afforestation De- partment last year with a view to ascertain whether any of the common evergreen trees of the district could provide sustenance for cattle during the winter scason. Six kinds of leaves were tried-Ficus retusa, Quercus salicina, Quercus fissa, Bambusa sp., Hibiscus sp. Sterculia lanceolata. The first four were pro- bably too hard and dry, and the Bamboo leaves proves injurious; the Sterculia leaves were, however, readily eaten and might in conjuction with rice-straw prove a serviceable food.
Adoption of European methods by Chinese. Advice was sought on several occasions by Hongkong merchants as to the supply of chemical fertilizers, etc., to farmers in the interior. European gardening tools are also said to be in request.
Fisal Hemp-Continues to do well. It is on poor stony ground and might, if successful, provide a valuable new industry for the New Territory farmers and at the same time utilize ground that is now of little value,
Cotton. -Arrangements were made for com. mencing experiments on Cotton-growing at the commencement of the rains. Great interest attaches to these trials and every effort will be
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CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT. made to render them a success. The first crops will not be gathered until next Autumn, when the result will be calculated and fully reported.
THE BALTIC FLEET.
"LOONGBANG" SIGHTS WAR-VESSELS
The Indo China p.8. Loongsang arrived from Manila on April 16. At about 3.30 a.m. on the 15th instant, about 35 miles north-west of the Capones Lighthouse, sho sighted four men-of- war steaming in a south-easterly direction. They passed at a considerable distance off, and were soon out of sight. SHOTS FIRED ACROSS THE BRUNHILDE'S"
BOWS.
<<
On the 13th instant, while on a voyage from Bangkok to Hongkong with a cargo of rice, the German 8.8. Brunhilde encountered the Baltic Fleet. At daylight the Russian ships were noticed on the horizon, and three cruisers, steaming it
was estimated, at about, twenty knots an hour, overhanled the Brunhilde. One of them made signals which the Brunhilde did not discern, and then two shots were fired across the vessel's bows. The Brunhilde stopped. The cruiser then put off a boat with an officer and six men. The
officer ordered three of his men on board to act as
sentries. After the officer had examined the ship's papers, having spent about an hour on board altogether, he withdrew ordering the captain not to proceed till signalled. After about a quarter of an hour the cruiser signalled "You may proceed." This occurrence took place off Fisherman's Island, about six miles north of Cape Padaran, on the Annam Coast The cruisers then returned to the fleet, steaming at high speed. The Fleet, steering about N.N.E. disappeared over the horizon before long.
SAILORS AFRAID OF THE "BALTICERS,
were
$1
Twenty-two of the crew of the s.s. St. Helena on April 16th charged before Mr. F. A. Hazeland (First Police Magistrate) with obstructing the navigation of that vessel by refusing to proceed to Japan. The men signed on articles to proceed in the ship between certain latitudes. After loading a of coal at Cardiff the vessel received in- structions to proceed to Hongkong for orders. At Gap Rock the Captain received orders' by signal, proceed to Sasebo, Japan. The men struck work, being afraid to run with contraband, and the ship put into Hongkong.
to
cargo
Mr. Hazeland said that at present there was no risk. The men had signed a specific agree.
ment to go to certain par's in which Japan was included, and by now refusing they were break- ing that agreement and must bear consequences. The men still refused. His Worship sentenced them to three weeks' imprisonment, the men to be replaced on board the vessel should she return to this port before expiration of their
sentences.
The captain of the 8.3. Battersea Bridge charged fourteen of his crew for the same offence. They were convicted and received the same sentence as the others.
JAPANESE WARSHIPS SIGHTED:
The Manila Cablenews of the 12th inst. saysThe German steamer M. Struve arrived here yesterday morning with a cargo of rice from Saigon. Her Captain reports having sighted two Japanese battleships on Monday (10th inst.) morning heading south.
FURTHER REPORTS,
The s.s, North Anglia arrived from the west with a cargo of coal on April 16. On her pas- sage from Colombo to Hongkong she sighted the
Baltic Fleet. It was at about two o'clock on
the morning of the 12th inst., in Latitude 7.19 North, Longitude 107.59 East. The vessel was practically stopped at the time, for she had broken down on the previous day. A number of mast-head lights showed up on the horizon astern. twenty-one or twenty-two altogether. Before long the vessels' side-lihts also were to be seen. The North Anglid them increased her speed to about six knots, and the Russians, becoming suspicious no doubt, sent a scout to investigate. For fully forty minutes a search light was directed on the North Anglia, and later the performance was repeated for another long period. The feet overtook the collier, passing about four miles distant. The ship was neither molested nor signalled. At daylight the fleet was low down on the horizon ahead,
The North Anglia's cargo was manifested for Hongkong.
CHEERED BY FRENCH SAILORS.
Saigon yesterday with a cargo of rice. SALE
The French steamer Phuyen arrived from
a.m. on the morning of the 15th instant she saw about twenty ships of the Baltio Fleet in Camranh Bay, to the North of Padaran; and many other ships, it was concluded, were out of sight in the inner bay. Torpedo boats and des- troyers were actively steaming about at the approach to the harbour. They appeared in very good condition. As the little oraft pitched in the sea, no sea grass could be seen on them. At Saigon rumour had it that the vessels of the Baltic Fleet were very dirty, but the vessels, according to one of the Phuyên's officers, looked " just as if they were leav- ing port." At Saigon some people thought that a Japanese Fleet near Singapore would get sandwiched between the main and third squadrons of the Baltic Fleet. The French sailors on the * Phuyen gave three cheers when the Russian, warships were close, and
they met with B
lond No other signals were made.
response.
AFRAID TO PROCEED. Nine of the crew of the s.s. Lincolnshire were
charged before Mr. F. A. Hazeland at the Police Court yesterday with refusing to con- tinue their voyage to Japan.
Mr. P. W. Goldring (of Mr. Brutton's office) appeared to prosecute, and the Captain stated that the men signed articles to proceed to ports, in which Japanese ports were included. He had a cargo of rice on board, and was bound for Yorkohama, but the defendants refused to proceed owing to the proximity of the Russian fleet.
The defendants informed His Worship that they were afraid to proceed.
His Worship in dismissing the ease, held that there were reasonable groun is for their refusing to proceed. He recommended that other proceedings should be taken before the Harbour Master.
COTTON-CULTURE IN KOREA.
The trial planting of American and Indian Cotton at Mok-ho and neighbourhood is said to have been successfully made by the Japanese. As there is but a little precipitation of rain in Korea, its soil is well suited for cotton culture and sericulture. This is especially true of the former, if the methods of its cultivation are developed and the seeds are carefully selected. Under such circumstances, the effort seems to have a promising future, and the whole produce will easily find a ready market as spinning material in Japan. ·
SHANGHAI CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
Mr. W. D. Little is re-elected chairman, and · Mr. A. Wright vice-chairman.-The Chairman undertook to see the Doyen of the Diplomats at Peking, and to draw his attention to the appar ent prospect of an excessive coinage of Chinese cash-Mr. L. E. Canning succeeds as secretary vice M. Leslie J. Cubitt resigned.-Correspond- ence with regard to delayed mails and to lata delivery of goods by manufacturers, was published.
Reporting a native murder, the Times of Ceylon says:-It appears that, in accordance with a common village custom, whereby a mán engages himself to the head of a family to render services free of payment to the latter on the understanding that on the latter's daughter coming of age he is to be received as har acknowledged fiances, and, in course of time, to be wedded to her, an old woman had permitted a man to dwell in her house. However, it noems that a more suitable offer was made for the hand of the girl, whereupon the mother attempted to throw the former lover over, the daughter apparently consenting to this new arrangement. The rejected suitor, it is alleged, entered the house and seizing the girl by the waist, stab her to death. No less than fourteen wounds were inflicted. The man is alles have next seized the girl's mother and stabbed her to death.
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