GOVERNMENT NOTIFICATION.—No. 105.
The following Report from the Superintendent, Botanic and Afforestation Department, is published for general information.
By His Excellency's Command,
Colonial Secretary's Office, Hongkong, 11th March, 1882.
W. M. DEANE, Acting Colonial Secretary.
SUPERINTENDENT, BOTANIC AND AFFORESTATION DEPARTMENT, TO ACTING COLONIAL SECRETARY.
BOTANIC GARDEN, 18th April, 1881.
No. 16.
SIR. I have the honour to submit my Report on the Progress and Condition of the Botanical and Afforestation Department for the year 1880.
2. The removal from the gardens of plants and shrubs of which the individuals of some kinds were too numerous has been carried on for the benefit and better appearance of those remaining, as well as to make room for newer introductions. Considerable work has also been done in transplanting shrubs and trees which were too crowded or ill placed.
3. Persea Nammu. Oliv. From the small tree of this valuable timber tree of Yun-nan, which Mr. Watters kindly sent from Ichang, we have procured about half a dozen young plants, by layering. The little tree has succeeded very well in our garden, and if a large stock of it could be obtained it might be a valuable addition to our plantations. I have tried to get seeds or plants from Yun-nan, and correspondents have kindly promised their assistance, but as yet nothing has come to hand.
4. Cytisus proliferus var. ("Tagasaste"). The seedlings (about 50) which were planted on the hills about a year ago grew remarkably well until the hot weather and rains commenced, when, I regret to say, they all perished, proving the unsuitability of the climate for this fodder plant.
5. Rhagodia hastata (Australian “Salt Bush"). The same may be said of this fodder plant as of the above "Tagasaste," it having grown vigorously until the hot weather and rains set in, when it perished.
6. Pithecolobium Saman (The "Rain Tree"). Small trees which were carefully planted in prepared ground in 1879 continue to thrive, many of them are six to seven feet high. But those which were planted in unprepared ground, although nursed by the trees of a young plantation in which they were planted, are only about two feet high.
7. Manihot Glaziorii (Ceara Scrap Rubber). In good soil a small plant, which I brought from Kew Gardens in 1873, and which was then only about three inches high, has grown to a tree about 15 feet high and is now seeding freely. It seeded last year also and from the seeds which were produced we raised several small plants which were planted on the hills, at about 400 feet altitude, last autumn, but the cold of the past few months killed them down to the ground—the lowest temperature recorded at the gardens, alt. 300 feet, was 46.2—but all are now making new shoots from the surface of the ground. The old plants were not affected by the cold.
8. Liberian Coffee. A few plants of this, which have been in the gardens for four years, do not thrive at all well, although the Arabian coffee grows luxuriantly and fruits abundantly.
9. Pai-chu wood. The wood used at Ningpo for carving is called by this name. The tree from which the wood is obtained has not yet been identified, but as I have succeeded in obtaining a small plant of what is reputed to be the true one, there is some hope that when it flowers the doubt may be set at rest; judging from the appearance of the plant without flowers or fruit, it is a species of Evonymus.
10. Macadamia ternifolia (the “Queensland Nut"). In my last report I mentioned that this had flowered for the first time here. Now I am able to state that the flowers were succeeded by a very fair crop of nuts which tasted quite equal in flavour to those produced in Queensland.
GOVERNMENT NOTIFICATION.—No. 105.
The following Report from the Superintendent, Botanic and Afforestation Department, is published for general information.
By His Excellency's Command,
Colonial Secretary's Office, Hongkong, 11th March, 1882.
W. M. DEANE, Acting Colonial Secretary.
SUPERINTENDENT, BOTANIC AND AFFORESTATION DEPARTMENT, TO ACTING COLONIAL SECRETARY.
BOTANIC GARDEN, 18th April, 1881.
No. 16.
SIR. I have the honour to submit my Report on the Progress and Condition of the Botanical and Afforestation Department for the year 1880.
2. The removal from the gardens of plants and shrubs of which the individuals of some kinds were too numerous has been carried on for the benefit and better appearance of those remaining, as well as to make room for newer introductions. Considerable work has also been done in transplanting shrubs and trees which were too crowded or ill placed.
3: Persea Nammu. Oliv. From the small tree of this valuable timber tree of Yun-nan, which Mr. Watters kindly sent from Ichang, we have procured about half a dozen young plants, by layering. The little tree has succeeded very well in our garden, and if a large stock of it could be obtained it might be a valuable addition to our plantations. I have tried to get seeds or plants from Yun-nan, and correspondents have kindly promised their assistance, but as yet nothing has come to hand,
1. Cytisus proliferous var. ("Tagusaste"). The seedlings (about 50) which were planted on the hills about a year ago grew remarkably well until the hot weather and rains commenced, when, I regret to say, they all perished, proving the unsuitability of the climate for this fodder plant.
::
5. Rhagodia hastata (Australian “Salt Bush"). The same may be said of this fodder plant as of the above Tagasaste," it having grown vigorously until the hot weather and rains set in, when it perished. 6. Pithecolobium Saman (The "Rain Tree"). Small trees which were carefully planted in prepared ground in 1879 continue to thrive, many of them are six to seven feet high. But those which were planted in unprepared ground, although nursed by the trees of a young plantation in which they were planted, are only about two feet high.
7. Manihot Glaziorii (Ceara Scrap Rubber). In good soil a small plant, which I brought from Kew Gardens in 1873, and which was then only about three inches high, has grown to a tree about 15 feet high and is now seading freely. It seeded last year also and from the seeds which were produced we raised several small plants which were planted on the hills, at about 400 feet altitude, last autumn, but the cold of the past few months killed them down to the ground-the lowest temperature recorded at the gardens, alt. 300 feet, was 462-but all are now making new shoots from the surface of the ground. The old plants were not affected by the cold.
8. Liberian Coffee. A few plants of this, which have been in the gardens for four years, do not thrive at all well, although the Arabian coffee grows luxuriantly and fruits abundantly. :
9. Pai-chu wood. The wood used at Ningpo for carving is called by this name. The tree from which the wood is obtained has not yet been identified, but as I have succeeded in obtaining a small plant of what is reputed to be the true one, there is some hope that when it flowers the doubt may be set at rest; judging from the appearance of the plant without flowers or fruit, it is a species of Evonymus.
10. Macadamia ternifolia (the “Queensland Nut"). In my last report I mentioned that this had flowered for the first time here. Now I am able to state that the flowers were succeeded by a very fair crop of nuts which tasted quite equal in flavour to those produced in Queensland.
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.