11. Sheds with screens of canvas on rollers have been put up for the better cultivation of Ferns and some other plants which cannot be well grown unless they are protected from the powerful sun- rays and heavy rains. The plants grown in these structures have shown a marked improvement for the extra care bestowed upon them. These sheds and the orchid-house are, I hope, the fore-runners of more ornamental and accessible structures which might, with advantage, be added to our ack ow- ledged beautiful, but small gardens.
12. The Aviaries and Orchid-house which were in a very dilapidated state have been repaired and put in a fairly effective condition. The Monkey-house has not been repaired, although it is very much decayed. The house is, I believe, badly placed for the health of the animals; scarcely any sun can ever enter the house, and it is exposed to all the cold weather which we get from the northerly winds. I would strongly recommend the abandonment of the place altogether and the keeping of monkeys, unless a proper house could be provided for them. The structure is of wood, and ever since it was erected it has been constant trouble and expense to keep the animals in the house, as they are continually eating away and pulling down the boards of which the house is constructed.
13. The following plants flowered for the first time in these gardens:—
Aristolochia longifolia.
Brassaia actinophylla. Cypripedium Stonei. Dendrobium Paxtonii.
Echeveria metallica.
Frenela pendula.
Lettsomia Chalmersii.
Mezoneurum brachycarpum. Monstera deliciosa. Peperomia arifolia.
marmorata.
Rhododendrom Championæ. Seaforthia elegans.
Tecoma australis.
14. During the year under notice the following plants, hitherto unrecorded as being indigenous to Hongkong, have been discovered in the Island:-
Asplenium lunulatum, Sonerila tenera, and Otanthera Fordii, Hance, novum species.
15. Dr. KING, Superintendent of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Calcutta, kindly presented for the library a copy of Griffith's Palms of India.
16. As the gardens are becoming crowded, the interchange of plants and seeds has not been conducted with quite so much vigour as in former years when there was more necessity for the importation of plants to stock the newly formed portions of the garden. The number of contributors was 32, from whom 677 plants and 145 packets and parcels of seeds, and 8 birds and animals were received. 1,834 plants and 190 packets and parcels of seeds were supplied from the garden to 41 recipients.
17. The following is the list of Contributors:----
Alderton, Captain; Japanese plants. Brand, E; Geraniums.
Botanic Garden, Brisbane; six Wardian cases of ornamental and useful plants and seeds of Eucalypti, &c. Bowen; case of Araucarias, &c. Jamaica; seeds.
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11
"J
Melbourne; seeds of Australian
trees and shrubs. Singapore; plants Ataccia cristata. Buittenzorg, Java; Wards case
of Cinchonas.
Beazely, Mrs., Swatow; Chinese plants. Bash, L. L.; Pheasants. Crawford, D. R.; Geraniums and seeds. Crocker, W. M., Sarawak; valuable orchids. Creswell, C. T., Sydney; seeds of Australian tim-
ber trees.
Coote, H. E., Vice Admiral; Ferns from Perak. Tennant, H. P., Foochow; Bamboos. Gerlach, Dr.; Chinese plants and Herbarium
specimens.
Godsil, Captain; Civet cat.
Hance, Dr. H. F., Whampoa; seeds. Haage and Schmidt, Erfurt; Cacti. Hungerford, Dr.; orchids.
Hyde, H. B., New York; American plants. Lowcock, H.; Wallabie and Peacock. Mesny, Colonel, Herbarium specimens from
Sze-chuen.
Pasedag, C. J., Amoy; ornamental plants. Price, Hon. J. M.; seeds from Cochin China. Queensland Accta. Society; seeds of Australian
trees.
Rozario, M. C. do.; Peacock. Romano, A. G.; plants.
Royal Gardens, Kew; seeds of palms, &c. Smith, R.; Lizard.
Silva, J. M.; plants.
Sampson, T., Canton; Acer Formosana, Taylor, C. S.; Ferns and ornamental plants. Thomsett, Captain; Pelargoniums. Tsan Chun; Water Hen. Watters, T., Ichang; Persea Nanmu. Wheathy, Mrs., Ningpo; Pai-cha tree.
AFFORESTATION.
18. The following trees were planted during the year:-
3
11
Pinus sinensis two-year old plants
size from 4 ft. to 10 ft. high sown in situ.. Aleurites triloba (Candleberry-tree)
) sown in situ... Eucalyptus spp. (Gum-trees) Cupressus torulosa (Bhotan Cypress).
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Bamboos Quercus salicina
Harlandi
>>
Carried forward
Brought forward
210,542
144,948 Ficus retusa (Banian)
61
862 60,555
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(,,) large trees transplanted Pinus canariensis (Canary Island Pine)... 24 Cupressus funebris (Funereal Cypress).
16
23
26
1,900
Syncarpia laurifolia (Turpertine-tree)..
14
1,537
Grevillea robusta (Sĺky Oak),
22
452
Dammara robusta
21
164
Stillingia sebifera (Tallow-tree).......
25
50
50
Albizzia Lebbek Miscellaneous
31
234
210,542
211,015
19. Nine years experience has shown that two-year old seedings of Pinus sinensis cannot be successfully and economically planted in consequence of the roots penetrating the soil to such a distance that balls of soil cannot be kept adhering so perfectly as desirable to the roots. No seeds of any kind were sown in the nurseries during 1879 for a supply of trees which should have been provided for planting during the year under notice, therefore when the Afforestation Department was returned to my charge in the end of the year 1879 I found that there was nothing available for planting except the refuse in the nurseries after the planting of 1879 had been finished, and these remaining trees were, through having been too much crowded, attenuated and very unpromising subjects for planting on the exposed hills, for which sturdy well grown plants should always be prepared. It was, however, advisable to do something with the available trees, therefore the worst weak and sickly trees were pulled up and sacrificed, to afford what benefit could be obtained during three or four months, which intervened between that time and the tree-planting season, to the trees which were selected for planting. In the face of these drawbacks it was anticipated that, however careful we might be in transplanting, a large percentage of deaths would inevitably ensue, a result which occurred, but not to the extent anticipated; about 20 per cent. only succumbed.
20. About seven years ago an experiment was made of sowing seeds of Pinus sinensis in situ, that is, small places, each about a foot square, were dug and levelled on the hillside where it was intended trees should grow, and on these sites a few seeds were sown. The trees on the plots of ground thus treated succeeded so well, and finding also that the trees reared by the villagers on Chinese territory and on this island had been thus reared, I was induced to prepare and sow 60,000 sites in the same manner. The seedlings on these sites having given sufficient promise of succeeding, a much larger area--viz., nearly 600 acres, containing about 650,000 sites-was selected for this mode of afforestation during 1881. Although the trees reared in situ do not grow so vigorously for the first few years as those reared in and transplanted from nurseries, still the method has much to recommend it. Taking it for granted that the same amount voted for afforestation during this year will be granted annually until the wooding of the island is completed, we shall be able to accomplish this desirable object in a quarter of the time, by sowing in situ, of that necessary under the nursery system. When the trees are large enough to fell for firewood, &c, a financial return for the outlay expended upon them can, it is hoped, be obtained by judicious periodical thinning and felling of portions of the plantations. 21. It is still desirable that nurseries, although on a smaller scale, should be maintained for raising a supply of trees for planting in situations where sowing in situ may be impracticable, and also for rearing other than pine trees which demand nursery treatment preparatory to planting, as it will be an object kept steadily in view to experiment with, and introduce, where successful, such foreign trees as are suitable for our soil, climate, and exposure, as will relieve the monotonous aspect of too much of any one kind of tree, besides, if possible, introducing others which may be valuable for timber or other economic uses.
22. As will be seen by the foregoing list several other than pine trees have been planted. I may mention first the Eucalypti of which over 1,500, comprising about a dozen kinds, were planted. Where these were planted amongst three-year planted pines they succeeded fairly well; Eucalyptus citriodora, the lemon-scented gum, having grown to, in some instances, 9 feet high in ten months, the largest having a circumference of 3 inches at one foot from the ground. Those planted away from the shelter of other trees have not done so well. The pine trees on the large area planted during 1880 will be about the right size in 1883 to be good nurses for other trees which I would advise being planted amongst them. It would be necessary to begin the preparation of such trees next year. More trees of the lemon-scented gum would bave been planted last year, but it was impossible, in consequence of the limited supply in its native country, Queensland, to obtain sufficient seeds.
23. On the spur of Mount Gough jutting out towards Head Quarter House, above Kennedy Road, the sky-line of the ridge, at the instigation of His Excellency the Governor, was planted. Large bam- boos, oaks (Quercus salicina, and Q. Harlandi), pines, and banians were used. The effect is very good, and the plantation a marked improvement to the scenery on the upper side of the above named road.
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