Appendix N.
REPORT ON THE BOTANICAL AND FORESTRY DEPARTMENT FOR THE YEAR 1924.
GENERAL REMARKS.
The rainfall, which totalled 105.51 inches during the whole year was generally favourable to both gardening and forestry operations during the fourth quarter of the year when the gardens usually suffer from more or less severe drought the heavy rains were particularly beneficial. Particulars of rain- fall in the Botanic Gardens are given in Table I.
Signals indicating the proximity of typhoons were hoisted fourteen times during the year and the whole of the pot plants in the Botanic Gardens had to be carried into shelter on several occasions; no serious damage was done by storms in any part of the Colony.
GARDENS, PARKS AND GROUNDS.
The Botanic Garden:-Many of the larger trees and shrubs which were damaged by the typhoon in 1923 have made a fair recovery, the gaps caused by the loss of big trees have as far as possible been filled with trees and shrubs.
In September the roses on the east side of the "Rosebed Terrace" were all lifted and planted elsewhere; the vacant beds were filled with winter annuals; the western side will be similarly treated and this will enable the whole area to b continuously planted with winter and summer annuals.
The shrubbery behind the aviary was entirely removed and the area covered with turf; a line of Mauritius Palms (Chrysalidocarpus lutescens) was planted to screen the back wall of the aviary, this has very much improved the appearance of the Old Garden. Two old and badly shaped trees of Viburnum oboratissimum which stood on either side of Sir Arthur Kennedy's Statue were removed and replaced by two Bay Trees (Laurus nobilis) obtained from Japan.
Clumps of bamboos near the plant houses and main entrance to Old
Old Gardens were lifted and the best portion replanted.
Two young trees of Aleurites montana were planted at the corners of the "Rosebed Terrace" to replace the two fine speci- mens of Heteropanax fragrans which formerly stood here.
Grass Caterpillars fortunately were not very troublesome during the autumn; these pests were treated with a solution of Jeyes' Fluid which at present is the only known cure.