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13. The Garden Rules and Regulations on the notice boards at the entrances, which were formerly lettered in English only, have been translated in the Chinese Secretary's Department, and lettered in Chinese also. "In consequence, the Chinese visitors who are not acquainted with English now have next to no trouble.
14. The following is a list of plants which have flowered for the first time in the Gardens:
Abutilon Thompsoni.
Agave ixthioides, Hook.
Aloe scaberosa,
Aristolochia cymbifera, Mart.
Aristolochia indica.
Asclepias curassavica, Linn.
Arundina bambusifolia.
Arundo donax, Linn.
Ancuba japonica, Koem.
Buddleia madagascariensis, Lam.
Beaumontia grandiflora, Wall.
Bixa orellana, Linn.
Callicarpa integerrima, Champ.
Cassia tomentosa, Willd.
Cereus grandiflorus, Mill.
Cereus triangularis, Haw.
Cereus paginiformis, Lent.
Clematis Meyeniana, Walp.
Coccocypselum discolor.
Combretum purpureum, Vahl.
Cryptocarya glaucescens, Br.
Cypripedium Lowii.
Cypripedium niveum.
Cestrum nocturnum, Murr.
Corydalis suaveolens, Hance.
Dracaena mauritana, Lam.
Dysoxylon Muellerii, Benth.
Echeveria atropurpurea.
Euphorbia fulgens, Karw.
Euchlaena luxurians, Dur.
Franciscea confertiflora, Pohl.
Franciscea eximia, Scheidw.
Gesnera exoniensis.
Grevillea robusta, Cunn.
Hedychium Gardnerianum, Wall.
Higginsia gheisbregtii, Lindl.
Hibiscus coccineus.
Jacaranda mimosifolia, Don.
Lithospermum Zollingeri, A. DC.
Macadamia ternifolia, F. Muell.
Melaleuca cajuputi.
Melodinus suaveolens, Champ.
Melodinus monogynous, Roxb.
Muhlenbeckia complexa.
Millingtonia hortensis, Linn.
Nandina domestica.
Opuntia aurantiaca, Lindl.
Opuntia frutescens.
Opuntia Tuna, Mill.
(Eceoclades falcata, Lindl.)
Passiflora mutabilis.
Phyllocactus latifrons, Dyck.
Phalaenopsis Schilleriana.
Plorandra jatrophifolia, Hance.
Quercus Fabri, Hance.
Renanthera coccinea.
Sambucus attenuata.
Sanchezia nobilis variegata.
Stephanotis floribunda, Pet. Th.
Tetranthera citrifolia, Juss.
Vernonia solanifolia, Benth.
Vanda concolor, Blume.
Wahlenbergia grandiflora, Schrad.
Watsonia corymbosa.
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Gardens:--
15. Since my return from leave of absence in England, the labelling of plants in the Gardens has been proceeded with as fast as circumstances permitted.
16. Interchanges of plants and seeds have been actively carried on with various Gardens and correspondents in British Colonies, England, and other countries.
17. The number of Plants sent out was 3,687, and of packets of Seeds 295 to 48 recipients, included in 68 consignments.
18. The contributions were 903 Plants and 233 packets of Seeds from 31 different sources; of these the principal were:-
An HEEP, Compradore Messrs. BUTTERFIELD & SWIRE; Chinese Fibres.
ALDERTON, Capt.; choice ornamental Japanese plants and seeds of Pinus Massoniana.
BENNAYS, L. A., Vice-President, Queensland Acclimatisation Society; three Wardian cases of orchids, palms, ferns, and various plants; and three consignments of seeds, including a large quantity of Eucalyptus citriodora.
BRAND, E., Shanghai; Geraniums.
CARROLL, J. D., Kobe, Japan; Japanese plants.
COOTE, H. E., Vice-Admiral, R.N., C.B.; Marattia sp. from Perak.
CHOW CHEE BEE; Chrysanthemums.
COCK, JULES DE, Ghent, Belgium; collection of seeds of annuals.
CRAWFORD, D. R.; Geraniums from Shanghai.
DEARE, Major; Manila orchids.
FRAMJEE ARGANEE; plants of Jasmine.
GERLACH, Dr.; Coleus, Crotons, Pandanus, and various plants from Duke of York's Island.
HAAGE AND SCHMIDT, Messrs., Erfurt; plants of Epiphyllum, and Cereus, seeds of Solanum, &c.
HENNESSY, Lady POPE; Japanese Conifers, Rhododendrons, and Azaleas.
HANCE, Dr. H. F., Canton; seeds Wilkia, Zingiber, Cycas, Ailanthus glandulosa.
HOOKER, Sir J.D., Royal Gardens, Kew; four consignments of seeds, including Euchlaena luxurians, "Papaya microcarpa, Cytisus proliferus, palms and various other kinds.
19. Thanks are particularly due to Messrs. GIBB, LIVINGSTON & Co., the Agents of the E. A. R. S. S. Company, for their great kindness in conveying plants and seeds free of cost, to Messrs. JARDINE MATHESON & Co., DOUGLAS LAPRAIK & Co., and the CANTON STEAMBOAT COMPANY for similar services; and also to the Captains and Officers of the many steamers for the care which has been bestowed on the various consignments.
20. Rhagodia hastata, the "salt bush" of Australia, upon which cattle and sheep feed during droughts, has been introduced and planted on the hills for trial; it has grown vigorously during the dry season, and will probably be useful in future for fodder, which is much required by cow-keepers.
21. Euchlaena luxurians, a new fodder grass, was received from Kew Gardens, and grown last year. Under cultivation it grew very rapidly and reached a height of 15 feet, but plants which were planted on the hill-side and left to themselves only attained 5 feet high and were yellow and sickly. I think it is unsuited for our soil.
22. Another Shrub, indigenous to the Canaries and called "Tagasaste” (Cytisus proliferus) is said to be much liked by goats and cattle. Seeds of it have been received from Kew Gardens and plants raised from them have just been planted on the hills.
23. In consequence of the change announced by His Excellency the Governor in Council on November 6th, 1879, which restored the Botanical Department to independency and entirely disconnected it from the Survey Department, the business of this Department has been much facilitated and increased in usefulness. The working of the Tree Planting Establishment with Chinese assistants has given me much satisfaction.
24. With the contemplated extension of usefulness which is desired from these Gardens, similar to the work done by other Botanical Gardens, I shall endeavour to accomplish, with the aid that is always accorded to institutions of this kind, the work that is expected from us. I would take this opportunity of inviting the aid of all persons interested in Botanical work. Persons travelling, or located in different parts of China, frequently have opportunities of obtaining information on vegetable products, and of collecting plants and seeds, which I should be pleased to receive so as to make these Gardens the "head quarters of investigation, whether scientific or merely utilitarian, into Chinese Vegetation" as suggested by Sir JOSEPH D. HOOKER.
25. As showing the good which Botanic Gardens may do for the different British dependencies as well as for their own respective colonies or countries, I extract the following remarks from Sir JOSEPH D. HOOKER's Report for the year 1878 on the Royal Gardens, Kew:-
"Exchanges and correspondence are constantly maintained between Kew and the numerous Botanic Gardens which exist in British dependencies. This constant intercommunication is, on the one hand, indispensable to the maintenance and perfection of the Kew Collections, on the other hand, it is of great advantage in facilitating the exchange from one garden to another of the vegetable products of different parts of the Empire. I am anxious, however, to see the Botanic Gardens establish to a much greater extent than at present, a chain of independent interchanges, which would increase their own usefulness and enormously facilitate the work which is done at Kew.
HILL, WALTER, Brisbane Botanic Gardens; seven Wardian cases containing plants of Acrostichum, A. alcicorne, Dendrobium Hilli, ferns, palms, and various useful and ornamental plants, and seeds Eucalyptus citriodora, fodder grasses, &c.
HELLAND, ADOLPH, Foochow; bamboos "mow cluck."
HUMPHREYS, J. D.; seeds of trees, shrubs and annuals.
JOHNSON, Capt.; orchids.
KURODA, His Excellency, Japan; Japanese Conifers and Azaleas.
MATSUGATA, His Excellency, Minister of the Interior, Japan; Valuable Japanese plants.
MARIES, CHARLES; collection, Japanese plants and seeds.
MURTON, H. J., Singapore Botanic Gardens; two Wardian cases, Garcinia Hamburyi, Willughbeia martabani, Bulbophyllum Beccarii, and valuable palms, ferns, and other plants and seeds.
"We have attempted, for example, to send plants to Fiji, but with but little success, on account of the great distance. Any particular plant could, however, be established in Ceylon with moderate difficulty, from thence it would be sent to Singapore and so on to Brisbane and Sydney, and finally to Fiji. At each successive stage, in case of a failure, the difficulty of renewing the attempt would be much smaller than if it were necessary to start afresh from Kew.
"I am the more led to make these remarks from having had my attention repeatedly drawn by applications made to Kew from residents in the colonies, to the fact that some of the most important functions of a colonial Botanic Garden are often apt to be lost sight of. Such institutions are obviously likely in most cases sooner or later to develop into the pleasure grounds of the towns and cities near which they are situated. But without disparaging their public usefulness in this respect, it is important that their primary function of promoting the botanical interests of their respective colonies should not be forgotten.
"That there is some risk of this happening, I can only assume from the constant applications made direct to Kew for information, seeds or plants which it is clearly the business of the Botanic Garden of the applicants' colony either to supply or procure.
"This leads to another point. No colonial garden can discharge its functions efficiently if the superintendent does not occasionally make journeys with a view to discovering new and interesting plants for the purpose of interchange with other Establishments. But the demands made upon his time often prevent the superintendent attending to this part of his duty, which is so important in keeping up an imperial system of exchange, besides promoting the interest of the garden under his charge, and varying the monotony of a life of unintelligent routine.
"I am afraid that this is sometimes overlooked by the local governments and managers; one superintendent is tied by meteorological observations, another by growing vegetables for sale. In every case where some obstacle of this kind is allowed to override the legitimate freedom of action of the superintendent, I am convinced the interests of his establishment suffer in a variety of ways, and that the policy is a short-sighted one."
POATE, F. P., Tokio; seeds, Hechima (Luffa aegyptiaca) and roots "Wagaba."
SAMPSON, T., Canton; Cheilanthes mysurensis, Ancitra Loureiri, seeds Liquidambar formosana, Glyptostrobus heterophylla.
SHARP, W. F., Sec., Municipal Council, Hankow; Adiantum capillus veneris.
PASEDAG, C. J., Amoy; case of ornamental plants.
RAFF, F.; Begonias, Gloxinias and Acacias.
ROMANO, A. G.; Coleus and Geraniums.
SMITH, A. F., seeds, annuals.
TIFFEN, H. S., New Zealand; ferns and N. Z. shrubs.
VIDAL, Señor Don SEBASTIAN, Manila Botanic Gardens; Wardian case, orchids.