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Leather and Hides.-Returns in these lines are as follows:—
For 1921. Buffalo-piculs..11,243
For 1922, Buffalo-piculs.. 6,714
Cow Goat
27
33
Sheep
31
...58,642 2,126 1,388
Cow Goat
20
"
...
Sheep
11
...54,911 6,254 615
Very few hides arrived from Kwangsi on account of continued trouble in the Interior,
Ginger and Preserves.-A considerable increase in this line is reported, exports for 1922 being £206,090 as compared with £149,093 for 1921.
Soy. An increase is also reported in this line, returns showing £61,447 ne against £50,039 for 1921.
Chinese Paper. A decrease took place, exports being put at 48,058 piculs whereas in 1921 61,725 piculs were done.
Vermilion-Very little business done.
in 1922 as against £124,410 for 1920.
£110,063 were done
Lard.-Demand from abroad very poor and returns show de- crease, being piculs 61,208 as compared with 80,223 for 1921.
Tinned Goods-Business remains about same as previous year. Shamshoo-Returns show decrease on years trading. £112,215 were done in 1921, current year is estimated at £80,371.
Vinegar. About same as previous year.
Knitted Vests and Socks. Some exports business done but the Interior troubles hit this trade badly and one or two factories aus- pended business,
Rattan and Fibre Furniture.-Returns show an improvement on 1921 when £142,107 was done whereas current year figures is estimated at £165,848,
(c.)-FISHERIES.
A considerable proportion of the boat population of Hongkong supports itself by deep-sea fishing, in which pursuit a large number of junks are engaged. The villages of Aberdeen, Stanley, Shauki- wan, and also many in the New Territories, are largely dependent upon this industry for their prosperity. Fresh water fish is im- ported from Canton and the West River. There are oyster beds of considerable value in Deep Bay,
(d)-FORESTRY, AGRICULTURE, AND BOTANY.
Formation of Pine tree plantations.
On the hills adjoining Tai Wo Po, 5,000 one year old trees of Pinus massoniana were planted.
Pine seeds were sown in situ at the following places-16,500 at Little Hongkong, 3,470 at Mount Davis, 59,725 at Ngau Chi Wan and 49,070 at Tytam Tuk. Failures of seeds sown in situ at Cheung Chau and Fanling were replaced.
— 17 —
On the turfed banks below Taipo and Tsin Wan Roads, 40 lbs.
of Pine seeds were sown broadcast.
One hundred and sixty seven trees, one year old, of Pinus massoniana were added to the small plantation at the Water Police Station, Tsim Sha Tsui.
Broad-leaved trees planted.
Shade and flowering trees used for roadside planting were Melia azelarach, Bischofs javanica, Ficus infectoria. Cassia fistula, Tristania conferta, Aleurites triloba, Albizzia lebbek, Poinciana regia, Erythrina indica, Bauhinia variegatu. Paulownia fortunei,
Melaleuca Celtic sinensis,
leucadendron and Cinnamomum camphora: these were made use of in the following positions Wongueichung Gap Road 233, Wongueichung Gap to Deep Water Bay 358, Magazine Gap Road 247, Wanchai Gap Road 571, Severn Road 32, Lugard Road 47, Garden Road 3, Peace Avenue, Ho Mun Tin 72. Argyle Street 72, Jordan Road 45, Gascoigne Road 97, Chatham Road 106, Lai Chi Kok Road 30, Nathan Road 3, Reclama- tion Street 7, Taipo Road 290), Fanling Road 8, Autnu Road 87, and in the vicinity of Shum Shui Po Market 22.
A number of trees of Aleurites montans were tried for the first
time as a shade tree in Salisbury Road, Kowloon.
Seventy nine trees, one year old, of "Jak" (Artocarpus integrifolia) were planted in the vicinity of Aberdeen Reservoir,
Care of trees in Plantations.
A regular inspection of all planted and native trees was carried out throughout the year.
Fine tree caterpillars made their appearance fortunately in very small numbers on the island and in Kowloon; one plantation adjoining Fanling Golf Course was badly infested with these posts and as soon as they could be detected all were collected" and destroyed, the total weight of those dealt with being 4,667 lbs.
Loranthus and creepers were regularly removed from trees on roadsides and in plantations.
Camphor trees, a large percentage of which are regularly attacked by white ants during the dry season, were treated with carbolinoun.
Twenty miles of fire barriers were cleared in the mainland and seventeen on the island; these barriere on many occasions proved most useful in checking large fires.
Removal of trees.
In connection with the sale of building lots, formation of new
and widening of existing roads, reclamations and other public works, very large numbers of Pine and wild trees and a small number of large roadside trees were removed,
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