N B
The Bananas are now well established and produced some very fine bunches of fruits.
Twelve trees of Citrus medica, var. cherocarpus were planted. These were procured with great difficulty from near Wat Nam, Shiu Hing district. The peculiarly shaped fruits produced by these trees are treated with sugar and sold by natives as a dry preserved fruit.
A small area of heavily manured ground was sown with seeds of Castor-Oil (Ricinus communis) and the resulting plants grew in most cases to a height of eight to ten feet, each one bearing from half to one pound of seed of good quality.
Several consignments of the "Figs" of Ficus retusa, containing insects were sent to the Entomologist of the Forestry Department, Honolulu, where the insects were to be liberated with the object of assisting in the fertilization of the fruits of varieties of Ficus growing wild or planted in the reservoir catchment areas.
All bulbs of Narcissus Tazetta intended for export to United States of America were again inspected and certified by an officer of this Department.
Between July 16th and October 28th, 9,835 cases in 84 lots, the whole containing 951,605 bulbs were dealt with in godowns and on junks.
The bulbs were generally cleaner than those dealt with during the preceding year and only a small portion of the consignments were detained for reconditioning.
HAY FEVER.
Flowers of Privet (Ligustrum sinense) were removed from plants growing in the Peak district.
Complaints continue to be received from many householders to the effect that the pollen from this plant is the cause of severe Hay Fever.
The plants in the Peak district appear to benefit by the removal of the flowers and there is no doubt that the gradual extermination of Privet will have to be commenced in the near future.
EXCHANGE OF SEEDS, &c.
The Department is indebted to the following donors of seeds, plants and Herbarium Specimens:- Director, Horticultural Section, (Mudiriya) Egypt; Professor Rock, Washington; Father Robert, Procure des Missions Etrangères; Board of Commissioner of Agriculture and Forestry, Honolulu, Hawai; and Messrs. H. W. Buckbee, Rockford; K. H. Aumuller; H. Humphreys; Lam Yin H. M. Maiden, Botanic Gardens, Sydney, and Sir Robert Ho Tung.
The following were the principal recipients ---- Dr. W. M. Docters Van Leeuwen, Director of the Botanical Gardens, Buitenzorg, Java; Messrs. H. B. C. Hill, Upper Assam; C. A. Backer,