Appendix M.
REPORT ON THE BOTANICAL AND FORESTRY DEPARTMENT.
GARDENS AND GROUNDS.
Botanic Gardens.-The year was exceptionally free from wind storms which in late years have caused so much destruction to trees and shrubs in the Colony. The gale of the 30th June was the only one of any moment, but very little damage was done. It was accompanied by a heavy rainfall which caused a small landslip on the lower side of the New Garden.
In April, Crinum Powellii, planted in a bed in the Old Garden flowered freely and was exceedingly effective.
A large number of Spanish Iris bulbs were presented to the Gardens by Mr. J. Barton who has been very successful with them at the Peak. They are very pretty things when in flower, and if they succeed on the lower levels will be a great acquisition.
The show of the Hongkong Horticultural Society was held in the Gardens on the 8th and 9th of March, but was very poorly attended. The first day was dull but fine; on the second day, however, it rained the whole time. The vegetables shown were very good, those from the Peak being exceptionally so. Pot plants and flowers were not quite up to the average.
In July it was found that plants of Bromelia thyrsoidea were affording excellent breeding places for mosquitoes as their leaves formed cups which easily held water. Large numbers of these plants were growing in rockeries in the Old and New Gardens, Government House Grounds, Glenealy and the Roadside rockeries. They were all rooted up and destroyed, so that not a living specimen now remains. This is the only plant in the Colony, with the exception of bamboos, so far as I know, that is adaptable for this purpose. An old tree may be met with now and again with a hole in it which serves the same purpose, but this is quite the exception.
The turf which had become very uneven on the North side of the conifer plot in the New Garden was taken up and re-laid.
Considerable repairs were made to the fountain in the Old Garden. Towards the end of the year the upper basin split in two and one half fell away. This structure, which was originally built of freestone obtained from England in 1868, has now been repaired with cement.
Appendix M.
REPORT ON THE BOTANICAL AND FORESTRY
DEPARTMENT.
GARDENS AND GROUNDS.
Botanic Gardens.-The year was exceptionally free from wind storms which in late years have caused so much destruction to trees and shrubs in the Colony. The gale of the 30th June was the only one of any moment, but very little damage was done. It was accompanied by a heavy rainfall which caused a small landslip on the lower side of the New Garden.
In April, Crinum Powellii, planted in a bed in the Old Garden flowered freely and was exceedingly effective.
A large number of Spanish Iris bulbs were presented to the Gardens by Mr. J. Barton who has been very successful with them at the Peak. They are very pretty things when in flower, and if they succeed on the lower levels will be a great acquisition.
The show of the Hongkong Horticultural Society was held in the Gardens on the 8th and 9th of March, but was very poorly attended. The first day was dull but fine; on the second day, how- ever, it rained the whole time. The vegetables shown were very good, those from the Peak being exceptionally so. Pot plants and flowers were not quite up to the average.
In July it was found that plants of Bromelia thyrsoidea were affording excellent breeding places for mosquitoes as their leaves. formed cups which easily held water. Large number of these plants were growing in rockeries in the Old and New Gardens, Government House Grounds, Glenealy and the Roadside rockeries. They were all rooted up and destroyed, so that not a living specimen now remains. This is the only plant in the Colony, with the exception of bamboos, so far as I know, that is adaptable for this purpose. An old tree may be met with now and again with a hole in it which serves the same purpose, but this is quite the exception.
The turf which had become very uneven on the North side of the conifer plot in the New Garden was taken up and re-laid.
Considerable repairs were made to the fountain in the Old Gar- den. Towards the end of the year the upper basin split in two and one half fell away. This structure, which was originally built of freestone obtained from Englaud in 1868, has now been repaired with cement.
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