N 3.
16. Pine Seed Collection.-The Fan Ling plantations, from which the main supplies of local seed have been obtained in recent years, produced a comparatively poor crop of cones, from which only 345 pounds of seed could be extracted. Cones were collected for the first time from the young plantations between Kowloon Rifle Range and Diamond Hill. The work was in progress at the end of the year.
17. Broad-leaved Trees Planted. Tree nurseries for raising stock for this work are maintained at Kowloon Tsai, Taipo Kau, Little Hong Kong and Cheung Chau. The following were used in the formation of plantations of various sizes and the maintenance and extension of the roadside planting scheme, Liquidambar formosana, Melia Azedarach, Artocarpus hypargyraea, Sapium discolor, Aleurites montana, Aleurites triloba, Sterculia lanceolata, Bauhinia Blakeana, Bauhinia variegata, Tristania conferta, Melaleuca Leucadendron, Cassia glauca, Callistemon rigidus, Callistemon lanceolata, Cinnamomum Camphora, Bischofia juvanica, Acacia confusa and Acacia Farnesiana, the total number of young trees used was 8,421.
18. Cheung Chau.-Six hundred young Casuarina equisetifolia and thirty Aleurites Fordii were planted on roadsides and other suitable areas; the majority of the trees were raised in the small nursery, which is maintained on the island. Groups of Pandanus forceps in the vicinity of bathing beaches, which were reported to be harbouring snakes, were destroyed.
19. Aleurites montana in all districts produced a fair crop of seeds, Aleurites Fordii produced only a very small crop; all trees of the latter species used for local planting are now raised from locally collected seeds. It is hoped by this method to produce a type of tree which will give better results than those raised from imported seeds.
20. Insect Pests. Pine Tree Caterpillars (Dendrolimus punctatus) appeared in the Pine plantations at Fan Ling in January, but very fortunately only in small numbers; collection and burying, the only effective method of saving the trees, was commenced during February. The total weight of the caterpillars destroyed amounted to 480 pounds.
21. Forest and Hill Fires.-During the year 58 fires occurred as against 71 in 1932; the most serious damage was done in a young plantation below Shek O Road and a licensed plantation on Lan Tao Island. In the former 2,500 young pines were destroyed by a comparatively small fire and in the latter many thousands of trees were lost.
22. Only one large fire broke out on the day of Ching Ming Festival and not a single fire occurred on the day of Chung Yeung Festival; the usual numerous handbills were distributed and warning notices posted; the vernacular press also kindly gave prominence to a notice requesting persons visiting graves and cemeteries to take precautions against causing damage by fire.