Appendix N.
REPORT ON THE BOTANICAL AND FORESTRY DEPARTMENT HONGKONG FOR THE YEAR 1920.
GENERAL REMARKS.
The first quarter of the year, during which rain fell on 27 days amounting to 4.60 inches, was very favourable for gardening operations.
During the second quarter, rain fell on 57 days amounting to 43.45 inches, this was exceptional and most favourable to the continued planting of forest and roadside trees.
During the third quarter rain fell on 55 days amounting to 59.24 inches.
The last quarter was favourable for gardening operations generally, with the exception of the raising of annual vegetable and flower seedlings, both of which suffered from the heavy rains.
The amount of damage resulting from storms or the proximity of typhoons was fortunately very small.
GARDENS AND GROUNDS.
Botanic Gardens.--The annual pruning of shrubs and creepers was commenced in February and large numbers of cuttings from these were put in to propagate young plants for the garden stock and for sale.
All Poinsettias in beds were given a second pruning in June.
The Amaryllis in a bed outside the plant houses, Old Garden, were taken up and replanted after the bed had been well dug and manured. All the other Amaryllis beds were given a dressing of old stable manure.
After the completion of the alteration to the wall at the north-east corner of the Old Garden, several new varieties of Hibiscus were planted to replace those which had been destroyed when this work was in progress during 1919.
Short iron railings were fixed to the top of the stone walls on both sides of the north-west gate of the Old Garden by the Public Works Department.
All the vacant spots in rockeries in both gardens were planted up with ferns and foliage plants in the spring as usual.
Several patches of Blue Grass under trees were repaired, and a bare bank at Upper Glenealy Rockeries was also covered with this useful plant.