165
7. Nearly all the shrubs and trees that were planted on the ground that has been recently added to the New Garden have made vigorous growth. Many of them yield valuable economic products, and deserve special mention, being new introductions to Hongkong that seem to be well adapted for cultivation here. The most important are: Styrax Benzoin, which yields the resin called 'Benzoin'; Passia butyracea, the Indian butter tree or 'Phulwara'; Caesalpinia coriaria, 'Diva Diva,' the pods of which are used for tanning purposes; Musa textilis, Manila Hemp; Manihot glaziovii, a rubber producing plant; Chrysobalanus icaco, the Cocoa plum, the oil from the kernels of this fruit being used in medicine; Brya Ebenus, West Indian Ebony; Bursera gummifera, which produces gum mastic; Prosopis juliflora, the pods of which are used in Jamaica for feeding cattle; Paretta indica, the leaves and roots of which are used in medicine, and the root is also used for making knife handles.
8. A number of the Tree Tomatoes, Cyphomandra betacea, were planted this year in the Vegetable Garden. This plant seems likely to do well in Hongkong; its worst enemy is a species of red ant which burrows under the ground and attacks the plant at the junction of the root and stem. The first lot of this plant that was raised last year was killed by the ants. An additional lot of seeds, however, was sent by the Director of the Botanic Gardens, Jamaica, and extra precautions were taken to protect the plants. We have now a number of strong plants from five to seven feet high, which I expect will yield a crop this summer. We have also a reserve stock of the plant for sale, and distribution. Respecting the merits of the 'Tree Tomato,' Mr. MORRIS, Director of the Botanic Gardens, Jamaica, writes, "The fruit should be eaten when ripe only; then it is most refreshing. For cooking take out all the seeds, remove the skin, cut in half and stew as nectarines or peaches."
9. Another plant of considerable interest, Vitis Martini, a new tuberous rooted vine from Cochin-China, fruited this year in Hongkong for the first time. The seeds were procured from the Botanic Gardens, Saigon, in 1883. The seedlings were planted out the same summer and made several shoots, each of which died down in the winter. They began to make fresh shoots about the middle of April, 1884, and grew well during the summer, but showed no inclination to flower; and again died down in the winter. Last summer they started vigorously and showed flower about the end of May. Many of the bunches however failed to develop fruit, owing apparently to imperfect fertilization, but there was a good average crop of bunches on the canes irrespective of the failures. The fruit was ripe in October; many of the bunches weighing a pound each. The berries, when ripe, are jet black, and rather under the average size of ordinary grapes. The seeds are large in proportion to the size of the berry. The flavour is a peculiar blending of sweetness and acidity, very pleasant, but tending, in my case, to leave a curious smarting sensation on the tongue; others might not find this peculiarity at all objectionable. The flavour might be altered, as is well known, by varying the mode of cultivation, but the size of the seeds is likely to prevent the grape becoming popular as a table fruit; it may, however, be very well adapted for a wine producer. A number of seedlings of this vine were distributed amongst residents of the Colony, but I learn that none of these plants have fruited. A few remarks as to the mode of cultivation may therefore be useful. The tubers should be planted at a distance of twelve feet apart in well-matured soil, taking care to keep the manure near the surface, as the tubers take a horizontal direction and do not penetrate the soil to any great depth. When the shoots appear in the spring, it is well to cut off all the weak ones, leaving only four strong canes; these should be trained along a trellis or a wall, as the case might be, leaving a width of three feet between the canes. All the lateral branches should be pruned back to within one bud of the main rod, except those laterals that show bunches; but it will be found that very few bunches will be developed on the lateral shoots, most of the bunches springing directly from the main rods; but in the case of a bunch springing from a lateral branch, the branch should be stopped at the second bud above the bunch. The laterals might be allowed to grow till they are two feet long. It will then be seen if they are likely to throw out bunches or not. If not, prune them back as described, and also pinch back all subsequent growth as it appears. It may be found necessary to thin out the leaves to allow the sun to get at the bunches, but in doing this great care should be taken not to break or otherwise injure the leaf directly above the bunch. If this leaf happens to be accidentally removed, the bunch below it will ripen immaturely and soon shrivel up. It is an advantage to thin out the bunches, leaving a space of fifteen or eighteen inches between them. It is also advantageous to thin the berries, leaving hardly one half of the original quantity on each bunch; but I am afraid this process would prove impracticable if the vine were extensively grown, owing to the labour it would entail. After the fruit is gathered, the vines require no further attention till spring. By way of experiment, one lot of plants was allowed to grow at will. Some of them threw up as many as a dozen suckers and produced laterals in profusion, but they all failed to flower. Another lot was transplanted into well-manured ground just as the crowns began to push in the spring; they too failed to flower, and presented rather a sickly appearance during the summer.
The Horticultural Press has already suggested that this vine should receive the attention of vine growers in the wine-producing countries of Europe where the phylloxera has denuded the vineyards of the old class of vines. There being no phylloxera in Hongkong, I cannot say whether the dreaded insect would spare this vine; but in view of the wonderful improvements that have been and can be brought about by skilful and persistent cultivation, it is not unreasonable to surmise that this new vine may ultimately become a wine producer. It is easily cultivated, and seems to be well adapted for a tropical climate, or a climate in which the resting season is comparatively cold and the growing season hot.
10. The plant which yields the Chinese Star-anise is still growing well in the garden, but has not yet flowered; when it does so, specimens will be submitted to the authorities at Kew for the determination of an interesting scientific question that has not yet been settled.
11. The vote placed at the disposal of this department to enable journeys of botanical research to be made in China has not been used this year; as in the first half of the financial year the hostilities between France and China greatly enhanced the danger of travelling in the interior, and Mr. FORD'S absence on leave during the latter half of the year precluded the possibility of any lengthened journey being made while there was only one European left to attend to the duties of the department. But in view of the understanding that it is one of the chief duties of the department to constantly endeavour to add to our knowledge of the flora of China, I have, in my spare time, made frequent journeys to the hills on the mainland adjacent to Hongkong, and have been fortunate in finding several plants new to science. In reference to these plants Mr. W. T. THISELTON DYER, C.M.G., the Director of the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew writes to say, 'Some of the plants you have collected prove to be of extraordinary interest and quite new; Mr. HEMSLEY has described some of the novelties in the Journal of Botany; one of the Aristolochias has been named after you.'
12. China is unquestionably a rich field for botanical research, and it is to be regretted that the Chinese Authorities have no organized means, in the way of a National Botanic Garden, of cultivating and distributing their innumerable vegetable products. Botanic Gardens of other countries would gratefully exchange the valuable economic plants at their disposal for Chinese novelties, and the benefit would be mutual. We have not received one plant from a Chinese source this year. Hongkong would be a convenient station for reciprocating favours from Chinese who might be disposed to introduce some of the resources of foreign horticulture, or agriculture, into China. We are gradually accumulating a large variety of plants of commercial value, a portion of which we would gladly distribute amongst any of our Chinese friends who might be inclined to favour us with some of the interesting vegetable novelties of the Celestial Empire.
13. The 'Rhea' or 'China Grass,' Boehmeria nivea, seems to be exciting considerable interest amongst planters as a textile, and enquiries as to its cultivation and the means of procuring it have recently been made by local agents and by correspondents at a distance.
Living plants can be procured in quantity from squatters on the island and from adjacent villages on the mainland. The Chinese cultivate it on patches of the richest soil they can find, and supply it with strong manure water from their cesspools, from the time the shoots appear till they are nearly ripe.
Several correspondents have asked for seeds of the plant, but I may here mention that none of the squatters whom I have consulted on the subject have ever raised it, or seen it raised from seed, though it is possible to raise it in this way.
The favourite Chinese method is to divide the roots into small clumps about four or five inches square and plant them out in prepared ground at a foot apart. In this way a crop can be got off the plants the first year. Seedlings would probably take several years before they reached a yielding condition. The plants are usually divided and planted out in February, but this can be done in a climate like that of Hongkong, at any season, if the plants are duly watered.
14. The sale of plants has been continued throughout the year. The total number sold being 2,169. The demand is not so large as might be anticipated, owing, no doubt, to a considerable number of the residents in the Colony being unaware that plants can be bought at the Gardens.
15. An interesting Amaryllidaceous plant, Agave geminiflora, flowered during the year.
The spike was twenty-five feet high and produced about two thousand flowers, but all the ovaries dropped off before the seed ripened. The plant still looks healthy and it will be interesting to find whether it will survive the strain of flowering, seeing that its attempt at reproduction has proved abortive.
16. The collection of animals has this year been augmented by two additional species of deer. The male and female deer which we have had for some time mated this year, and the doe gave birth to a young one which has grown well, and looks in healthy condition.
One of the Silver Pheasants and a Mandarin Duck were stolen, and one of the large Owls which has been in the Garden for many years was found dead in the cage; it was wounded in several places, having evidently been killed by some person of barbarous disposition who had poked it to death through the bars of the cage with a stick, or some sharp pointed instrument.
The Officers of H.B.M.S. "Flying Fish" have quite recently presented us with a fine young specimen of the Cassowary, Casuarius beccariunculatus, a bird belonging to the Struthionidae or Ostrich family. It was procured, I believe, from the Moluccas.
17. The arrangement of the Herbarium being now complete, the work in this branch of the department has been confined to keeping the specimens in good condition, and augmenting the collection with new discoveries, and duplicates for exchange. The collection is accessible to the public, and any one who is studying the flora of South China will find the Herbarium of great assistance.
18. Correspondence has been diligently carried on with kindred establishments, and with private persons who are interested in matters upon which it is in our power to give information.
May
165
7. Nearly all the shrubs and trees that were planted on the ground that has been recently added to the New Garden have made vigorous growth. Many of them yield valuable economic products, and deserve special mention, being new introductions to Hongkong that seem to be well adapted for cultivation here. The most important are: Shyrax Benzoin, which yields the resin called 'Benzoin'; Passia butyracea, the indian butter tree or 'Phulwara'; Caesalpinia coriaria, 'Diva Diva,' the pods of which are used for tauning purposes; Musa textilis, Manila Hemp; Manihot glaiziovi, a ruder producing plant; Chrysobalnus leuco, the Cocoa plum, the oil from the kernels of this fruit being used in medicine; Brya Ebenus, West Indian Ebony; Bursera gummifera, which produces gum mastic; Bresopus juliflora, the pods of which are used in Jamaica för feeding cattle; Paretta indica, the leaves and roots of which are used in medicine, and the root is also used for making knife handles.
8. A number of the Tree Tomatoe, Cyphomandra betacea, were planted this year in the Vegetable Garden. This plant seems likely to do well in Hongkong; its worst enemy is a species of red ant which burrows under the ground and attacks the plant at the junction of the root and stem. The first lot of this plant that was raised last year was killed by the ants. An additional lot of seeds, however, was sent by the Director of the Botanic Gardens, Jamaica, and extra precautions were taken to protect the plants. We have now a number of strong plants from five to seven feet high, which I expect will yield a crop this summer. We have also a reserve stock of the plant for sale, and distri- bution. Respecting the merits of the Tree Tomatoe' Mr. MORRIS, Director of the Botanic Gardens, Jamaica, writes, "The fruit should be eaten when ripe only; then it is most refreshing. For cooking take out all the sceds, remove the skin, cut in half and stew as nectarines or peaches.'
9. Another plant of considerable interest, Vitis Martin, a new tuberous rooted vine from Cochin- China, fruited this year in Ilongkong for the first time. The seeds were procured from the Botanic Gardens, Saigon, in 1883. The seedlings were planted out the same summer and made several shoots, each of which died down in the winter. They began to make fresh shoots about the middle of April, 1884, and grew well during the summer, but showed no inclination to flower; and again died down in the winter. Last summer they started vigorously and showed flower about the end of May. Many of the bunches however failed to develope fruit, owing apparently to imperfect fertilization, but there was a good average crop of bunches on the canes irrespective of the failures. The fruit was ripe in October; many of the bunches weighing a pound each. The berries, when ripe, are jet black, and rather under the average size of ordinary grapes. The seeds are large in proportion to the size of the berry. The flavour is a peculiar blending of sweetness and acidity, very pleasant, but tending, in my case, to leave a curious smarting sensation on the tongue; others might not find this peculiarity at all objectionable. The flavour might be altered as is well known, by varying the mode of cultivation, but the size of the seeds is likely to prevent the grape becoming popular as a table fruit; it may, however be very well adapted for a wine producer. A number of seedlings of this vine were distributed amongst residents of the Colony, but I learn that none of these plants have fruited. A few remarks as to the mode of cultivation may therefore be useful. The tubers should be planted at a distance of twelve feet apart in well matured soil, taking care to keep the manure near the surface, as the tubers take a horizontal direction and do not penetrate the soil to any great depth. When the shoots appear in the spring, it is well to cut off all the weak ones, leaving only four strong canes; these should be trained along a trellis or a wall, as the case might be, leaving width of three feet between the canes. All the lateral branches should be pruned back to within one bud of the main rod, except those laterals that show bunches; but it will be found that very few bunches will be developed on the lateral shoots, most of the bunches springing directly from the main rods; but in the case of a bunch springing from a lateral branch, the branch should be stopped at the second bud above the bunch. The laterals might be allowed to grow till they are two feet long. It will then be seen if they are likely to throw out bunches or not. If not, prune them back as described, and also pinch back all subsequent growth as it appears. It may be found necessary to thin out the leaves to allow the sun to get at the bunches, but in doing this great care should be taken not to break or otherwise injure the leaf directly above the bunch. If this leaf happens to be accidentedly removed, the bunch below it will ripen immaturely and soon shrivel up. It is an advantage to thin out the bunches, leaving a space of fifteen or eighteen inches between them. It is also advantageous to thin the berries, leaving hardly one half of the original quantity on each bunch; but I am afraid this process would prove impracticable if the vine were extensively grown, owing to the labour it would entail. After the fruit is gathered, the vines require no farther attention till spring. By way of experiment one lot of plants was allowed to grow at will. Some of them threw up as many as a dozen suckers and produced laterals in profusion, but they all failed to flower. Another lot was transplanted into well-manured ground just as the crowns began to push in the spring; they too failed to flower, and presented rather a sickly appearance during the summer.
The Horticultural Press has already suggested that this vine should receive the attention of vine growers in the wine producing countries of Europe where the phylloxera has denuded the vineyards of the old class of vines. There being no phylloxera in Hongkong, I cannot say whether the dreaded insect would spare this vine; but in view of the wonderful improvements that have been and can be brought about by skilful and persistant cultivation, it is not unreasonable to surmise that this new vine may ultimately become a wine producer. It is easily cultivated, and seems to be well adapted for a tropical climate, or a climate in which the resting season is comparatively cold and the growing season hot.
10. The plant which yields the Chinese Star-anise is still growing well in the garden, but has not yet flowered; "when it does so, specimens will be submitted to the authorities at Kew for the determina- tion of an interesting scientific question that has not yet been settled.
11. The vote placed at the disposal of this department to enable journeys of botanical research to berpade in China has not been used this year; as in the first half of the financial year the hostilities between France and China greatly enhanced the danger of travelling in the interior, and Mr. FORD'S absence on leave during the latter half of the year precluded the possibility of any lengthened journey being made while there was only one European left to attend to the duties of the department. But in view of the understanding that it is one of the chief duties of the department to constantly endeavour to add to our knowledge of the flora of China, I have, in my spare time, made frequent journeys to the hills on the mainland adjacent to Hongkong, and have been fortunate in finding several plants new to science. In reference to these plants Mr. W. T. THISELTON DYER, C.M.G. the Director of the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew writes to say, Some of the plants you have collected prove to be of extraordinary interest and quite new; Mr. HEMSLEY has described some of the novelties in the Journal of Botany; one of the Aristolochias has been named after you.'
12. China is unquestionably a rich field for botanical research, and it is to be regretted that the Chinese Authorities have no organized means, in the way of a National Botanic Garden, of cultivating and distributing their innumerable vegetable products. Botanic Gardens of other countries would gratefully exchange the valuable economic plants at their disposal for Chinese novelties, and the benefit would be mutual. We have not received one plant from a Chinese source this year. Hongkong would be a convenient station for reciprocating favours from Chinese who might be disposed to intro- duce some of the resources of foreign horticulture, or agriculture, into China. We are gradually accumulating a large variety of plants of commercial value, a portion of which we would gladly dis- tribute amongst any of our Chinese friends who might be inclined to favour us with some of the interesting vegetable novelties of the Celestial Empire.
13. The Rhea' or 'China Grass,' Boehmeria nevía, seems to be exciting considerable interest amongst planters as a textile, and enquiries as to its cultivation and the means of procuring it have recently been made by local agents and by correspondents at a distance.
Living plants can be procured in quantity from squatters on the island and from adjacent villages on the mainland. The Chinese cultivate it on patches of the richest soil they can find, and supply it with strong manure water from their cesspools, from the time the shoots appear till they are nearly ripe.
Several correspondents have asked for seeds of the plant, but I may here mention that none of the squatters whom I have consulted on the subject have ever raised it, or seen it raised from seed, though The favourite Chinese method is to divide the roots into small it is possible to raise it in this way.
clumps about four or five inches square and plant them out in prepared ground at a foot apart. In this way a crop can be got off the plants the first year. Seedlings would probably take several years but this can be done in a climate like that of Hongkong, at any season, if the plants are duly watered. before they reached a yielding condition. The plants are usually divided and planted out in February,
14. The sale of plants has been continued throughout the year. The total number sold being 2,169. The demand is not so large as might be anticipated, owing, no doubt, to a considerable number of the residents in the Colony being unaware that plants can be bought at the Gardens.
15. An interesting Amaryllidaceous plant, Agave Geminiflora, flowered during the year.
The spike was twenty-five feet high and produced about two thousand flowers, but all the ovaries dropped off before the seed ripened. The plant still looks healthy and it will be interesting to find whether it will survive the strain of flowering, seeing that its attempt at reproduction has proved abortive.
16. The collection of animals has this year been augmented by two additional species of deer. The male and female deer which we have had for some time mated this year, and the doe gave birth to a young one which has grown well, and looks in healthy condition.
One of the Silver Pheasants and a Mandarin Duck were stolen, and one of the large Owls which has been in the Garden for many years was found dead in the cage; it was wounded in several places, having evidently been killed by some person of barbarous disposition who had poked it to death through the bars of the cage with a stick, or some sharp pointed instrument.
The Officers of H.B.M.S. "Flying Fish" have quite recently presented us with a fine young specimen of the Cassowary, Cassuarius becaurunculatus, a bird belonging to the Struthionideae or Ostrich family. It was procured I believe from the Moluccas.
17. The arrangement of the Herbarium being now complete, the work in this branch of the department has been confined to keeping the specimens in good condition, and augmenting the collection with new discoveries, and duplicates for exchange. The collection is accessible to the public, and any one who is studying the flora of South China will find the Herbarium of great assistance.
18. Correspondence has been dilligently carried on with kindred establishments, and with private persons who are interested in matters upon which it is in our power to give information.
May
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