Appendix N.
HONG KONG.
REPORT ON THE BOTANICAL AND FORESTRY DEPARTMENT FOR THE YEAR 1930.
GENERAL REMARKS.
The weather, throughout the whole year, was generally favourable to both gardening and forestry operations.
The rainfall for the year was 103.79 inches in 135 days as against 71.16 inches in 128 days in the preceding year. During July rain fell on 24 days and the total recorded for the month was 31.51 inches.
The typhoon which passed close to the Colony on July 24th blew down over 2,000 roadside shade trees, most damage being done between Castle Peak and Au Tau. Typhoon signals were hoisted on five occasions.
GARDENS, PARKS AND GROUNDS.
Botanic Gardens.-A portion of the Old Garden, immediately adjoining Garden Road, had to be given up, in order to allow of the widening of the road referred to, the area of ground lost was small, but the removal of the following trees was fortunately necessary, 1 Lagerstroemia flos-reginae, 3 Jacaranda mimosaefolia, 1 Paulownia Fortunei, 1 Eugenia myriophylla, 1 Garcinia xanthochymus, 1 Crataeva religiosa and 1 Adenanthera pavonina.
Grass Caterpillars (Thialle ta signifera) made their appearance in very small numbers only, and the amount of damage done by them was negligible.
The tree of Aleurites montana, on the upper terrace in the Old Garden, flowered and produced a heavy crop of seeds; this tree has been blown down and damaged, once or more, in every year since it was planted.
Four young trees were added to the row of Araucaria Cunninghamii on the north boundary of the Old Garden.
The number of trees, shrubs and pot plants sold during the year was 2,422.