The recent change in ownership of an orchard covering many acres at Cha Hang near Taipo has made it worthy of notice as one of the most progressive enterprises in the District. The construction of workers' houses, an approach road, catchwater, and pipeline, terracing, and the intensive planting of olives, mangoes, litchis and other fruits show how far well-employed capital can go to overcoming difficulties of situation and water-supply on a bare hillside.
(c) Vegetables: The following is a rough comparison of the quantity of certain kinds of vegetables grown for sale, taking European vegetables as the unit:
European vegetables Gourds Chinese green vegetables Sweet potatoes Turnips etc. Roots 1 2 11 8 15 7There is a slight all-round increase in cultivation, but crops were partly destroyed by insects.
Agricultural Show. The District is again indebted to the Rev. H. R. Wells and his committee including Sir Robert and Lady Ho Tung and many of the local elders, for successfully organizing a second agricultural show under the patronage of H. E. Sir Cecil Clementi.
To obtain a wider range of exhibits, the show was held a fortnight later than that preceding, and opened at Sheung Shui on 5th January, 1929 by H. E. the Hon. Mr. W. T. Southorn, at that time administering the Government.
Competition was keen, especially in the sections for Chinese vegetables, rice, and roots. There were some good exhibits of fruit, and the poultry section was greatly extended.
Thanks are due to Mr. H. Green, Supt. Botanical and Forestry Department and to Mr. C. M. Manners, Secretary of the Kowloon Residents Association, for their interest in the show, as well as to several firms and private gentlemen who served on the Committee and gave prizes.
It is extremely difficult without a permanent organization to ensure that the material necessary to sustain the interest and enlarge the scope of the Show will be available each year, and what the Committee have to consider now in the light of past experience is the best means of providing an organization that will work well, be elastic and take up least time.
Miscellaneous (a) Health—Smallpox cases traceable to Hong Kong were recorded at Taipo and elsewhere, but the disease did not spread in the District. Vaccinators were at