L 5
F.-Revenue Felling.--In October a contract was signed whereby the Government agreed to sell 710 acres of pine tree plantations to be felled under the Block System. These plantations were situated at Mt. Davis (7G), Aberdeen (7D & 6E), and Tytam (4B & E). The contract is to extend over 3 years and not more than 280 acres or less than 200 acres are to be felled in one year. All trees within 30 ft. of main roads are to be left and all pine trees under 6 inches in circumference. The first instalment received by the Government in connection with this contract amounted to $4,091.67. A system of selling brushwood by cord was adopted during the year. The brushwood was cut down by the villagers of different places and the largest of it put into cords, the villagers receiving a certain amount of the small shrubs in return for the work done by them. The cords were then sold to a contractor at a fixed rate. A sum of $546.83 was received from this source. The total amount received from felling, including thinning, was $6,145.79.
Grass-cutting.-Considerable discussion has taken place in the past year in regard to the question of allowing villagers to cut grass on the hillsides for fuel and fodder. It was proposed at first that licences for specified areas should be issued to the villagers, but, on further consideration, it was found that the suggested areas were unsuitable for the purpose intended as they were nearly all above the 1,000 ft. level. It was finally decided that the villagers should be allowed to cut sufficient grass on Crown land anywhere outside of Government plantations for village needs, but not for the purpose of sale. If grass is cut for sale, leases or licences must be applied for, and the grass must not be cut on lands assigned for village use.
G.-Planting and Care of Roadside Trees.--No new planting of street trees was undertaken but a considerable number of failures in Hongkong and Kowloon were made good. Altogether 243 trees were used for this purpose consisting principally of Poinciana and Aleurites. The large number of trees required to be replanted every year shows one of the great difficulties of establishing street avenues in such a wind-swept place as Hongkong. A sum of $433.49 was spent on the care of street trees during the year.
H.-Nurseries, Agriculture and Economic Planting.—Two hundred seedlings of the Coffin Wood tree, Machilus Nanmu, were planted on the hillsides, 50 at Aberdeen, 100 on Mt. Kellet and 50 on the north side of Mt. Victoria. The tree is not likely to be of any economic value in Hongkong judging by the rate of growth of the tree which grew in the Botanic Gardens, where the conditions were more favourable than on the hillside. This tree was blown down in the year 1908 by the typhoon and subsequently died.
At Kang Hau Nursery, there are several kinds of economic plants in the experimental stage. These include Aleurites Fordii, Sisal Hemp and Tea Oil, but none of them at present show promise of being of any practical value. The cost of the upkeep of the nurseries is shown in Table IV.
I-Forestry Service Paths.-Paths were made during the year from the Peak Road to Hatton Road, from Peak Road to Magazine Gap Road, from Magazine Gap Road to Wanchai Gap Road, from...
L 5
F.-Revenue Felling.--In October a contract was signed where- by the Government agreed to sell 710 acres of pine tree plantations to be felled under the Block System. These plantations were situat- ed at Mt. Davis (7G), Aberdeen (7D & 6E), and Tytam (4B & E). The contract is to extend over 3 years and not more than 280 acres or less than 200 acres are to be felled in one year. All trees within 30 ft. of main roads are to be left and all pine trees under 6 inches in circumference. The first instalment received by the Government in connection with this contract amounted to $4,091.67. A system of selling brushwood by cord was adopted during the year. The brushwood was cut down by the villagers of different places and the largest of it put into cords, the villagers receiving a certain amount of the small shrubs in return for the work done by them. The cords were then sold to a contractor at a fixed rate. A sum of $546.83 was received from this source. The total amount received from felling, including thinning, was $6,145.79.
Grass-cutting.-Considerable discussion has taken place in the past year in regard to the question of allowing villagers to cut grass on the hillsides for fuel and fodder. It was proposed at first that licences for specified areas should be issued to the villagers, but, on fur- ther consideration, it was found that the suggested areas were unsuit- able for the purpose intended as they were nearly all above the 1,000 ft. level. It was finally decided that the villagers should be allowed to cut sufficient grass on Crown land anywhere outside of Govern- ment plantations for village needs, but not for the purpose of sale. If grass is cut for sale, leases or licences must be applied for, and the grass must not be cut on lands assigned for village use.
G.-Planting and Care of Roadside Trces.-No new planting of street trees was undertaken but a considerable number of failures in Hongkong and Kowloon were made good. Altogether 243 trees were used for this purpose consisting principally of Poinciana and Aleurites. The large number of trees required to be replanted every year shows one of the great difficulties of establishing street avenues in such a wind-swept place as Hongkong. A sum of $433.49 was spent on the care of street trees during the year.
H.-Nurseries, Agriculture and Economic Planting.—Two hundred seedlings of the Coffin Wood tree, Machilus Nanmu, were planted on the hillsides, 50 at Aberdeen, 100 on the Mt. Kellet and 50 on the north side of Mt. Victoria. The tree is not likely to be of any economic value in Hongkong judging by the rate of growth of the tree which grew in the Botanic Gardens, where the conditions were more favourable than on the hillside. This tree was blown down in the year 1908 by the typhoon and subsequently died.
At Kang Hau Nursery there are several kinds of economic plants in the experimental stage. These include Aleurites Fordii, Sisal Hemp and Tea Oil, but none of them at present show promise of being of any practical value. The cost of the upkeep of the nurseries is shown in Table IV.
I-Forestry Service Paths.-Paths were made during the year from the Peak Road to Hatton Road, from Peak Road to Magazine Gap Road, from Magazine Gap Road to Wanchai Gap Road, from
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.