AnnualReport-1938 — Page 566

# Appendix N.

# REPORT OF THE BOTANICAL AND FORESTRY DEPARTMENT FOR THE YEAR 1938.

# INTRODUCTION.

1. The Botanical and Forestry Department was originally constituted in 1872 as the Government Gardens and Tree Planting Department. In 1880 it became the Botanic and Afforestation Department, the Botanical and Afforestation Department in 1881 and finally the Botanical and Forestry Department in 1905. Inevitably, the department has grown and from the time it was entrusted with local afforestation it has made steady progress in producing a forest covering on Hong Kong Island and part of the mainland. Its other activities, botanical, horticultural and agricultural, have generally increased and at the present time it plays an important part in local affairs. It is doubtful if the value of the work performed in the past by this department, has been properly assessed locally. However that may be, it is thought that its value is now recognised and that it will continue to receive proper valuation in the future. Such local factors as, for example, the water shortages of recent years, by themselves should be sufficient evidence of the value of its afforestation and protection activities for without these activities water troubles would have been considerably more acute, not to mention the silting of reservoirs and catch-waters which would have taken place. These facts should be sufficient to emphasise that, in this Colony, developments in water conservation programmes depend a very great deal for their success on subsequent afforestation activities while the results from scenic and amenity points of view need no stressing.

2. At the present time the department retains its composite nature by virtue of the fact that the Colony is small and the department is able to deal with the work connected with its various sections in a manner both efficient and economic. But for these factors it is highly probable that the Colony would have found it necessary to maintain separate departments involving much heavier expenditure. It will be seen in the subsequent pages of this report that departmental activities are increasing and this must of necessity result in some alteration in organisation and in additional expenditure.

# GENERAL REVIEW OF THE YEAR.

3. Activities during the year were considerably influenced by certain changes both in policy and in organisation. To these must be added the results of the changed conditions in South China which seriously affected at least one section of the work of the department namely forest protection. It is thought that the most important development to record is the fact that Government has shown increased interest in matters connected with forestry and agriculture. The following quotation from the Budget Speech of H.E. The Governor (Sir G. A. S. Northcote) delivered in the Council Chamber on the 13th Oct. 1938, is significant of the trend of policy in these matters. "The estimates reflect the intention of extending the area under forests and at the same time of tightening up conservation methods especially in respect of timber stealing. I understand that there has already been a notable decrease in this kind of larceny. The Superintendent of the Botanical and Forestry Department has been instructed to report on the possibilities of agricultural development of the New Territories including the larger islands."

4. These developments considerably affected departmental activities and much time was devoted to matters intimately concerned with both agriculture and forestry. In respect to Agriculture, the investigation foreshadowed by H.E. The Governor was in progress at the end of the year and the complete report was presented in February 1939. Proposals for some re-organisation of the forestry section of the work were approved generally by Government, chief of which were (i) A rearrangement of the Staff whereby forest protection and field work respectively, receive separate attention. In respect to the former, the staff is domiciled on definite areas and is given territorial responsibility. (ii) The establishment of additional forest reserves on the mainland and (2) the establishment of a Forest Experimental Station.