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During the year the Chinese in the New Territories have been distilling camphor from trees in various places, especially in the Saikung district.
The leaves were used for this purpose and I am informed that many of the trees were entirely denuded of foliage.
Owing to a new law passed by the United States Government regarding the importation of living plants into America, all bulbs shipped from Hongkong to that country had to be certified by an officer of this Department to the effect that they were believed to be free from insects, pests and fungus diseases.
This threw a considerable amount of extra work on the Department as many of the Narcissus Tazetta (Chinese New Year Flower) bulbs grown in the vicinity of Amoy are shipped to America from Hongkong.
Altogether 5,012 cases, in various lots, containing 627,630 bulbs, were examined and passed between the 7th July and 30th November.
In addition 35 cases, containing 13,100 bulbs, were inspected and rejected.
The first rice crop in the New Territories was said to be the best for many years; the second crop was also good.
Lichees were poor, peanuts fair, sugarcane and pineapples good.
HAY FEVER.
For several years past certain members of the medical profession in the Colony have held the opinion that the pollen of Ligustrum sinense is the cause of the above distressing malady.
This shrub flowers in the early part of the year and it is then that "hay fever" is prevalent.
The pollen of Ligustrum vulgare, as well as other plants, is known to produce "hay fever" in England, and it is quite possible that the pollen of Ligustrum sinense is one of the causes of the malady in Hongkong.
To prevent the pollen of the latter shrub from causing any ill effects, for the last two or three years the flower buds have been cut off before they have had time to open.
EXCHANGE OF SEEDS, &c.
The Department is indebted to the following donors of seeds, plants, and herbarium specimens:- Director, Horticultural Section, Giza Mouderieh, Egypt, Mr. E. H. Wilson, Arnold Arboretum, Harvard University, U.S.A., Captain A. E. Hodgins, Dr. Ho Nai Hop, Dr. M. Carthew, Siam, Department of Agriculture, Washington, U.S.A., Commander Beckwith, R.N., Mrs. Murray, Messrs. J. F. C. Rock, H. Nehrling, and E. May, U.S.A., Mr. C. Talbot Bow-