XN000022-1991-05-30 — Page 12

COUNTRYSIDE HALL

11

THURSDAY, MAY 30, 1991

THE DISPLAY HERE ELABORATES ON INTERESTING SUCH AS MANGROVES AND THE "FUNG SHUI" WOODS.

NATURAL HABITATS

IT ALSO OUTLINES HONG KONG'S AFFORESTATION EFFORTS PAST FEW DECADES, THE IMPORTANCE OF TREES AND THE SCENERY AND FACILITIES IN HONG KONG'S COUNTRY PARKS.

OVER BEAUTIFUL

THE

THESE DISPLAYS, COUPLED WITH THE SECTION ON ENDANGERED SPECIES, ALL HIGHLIGHT THE IMPORTANCE OF COUNTRYSIDE AND WILDLIFE CONSERVATION.

OUTDOOR DISPLAYS

ORCHARDS

THE MOST ATTRACTIVE IS THE SPECIMEN ORCHARD WHERE MOST OF THE MAJOR SPECIES OF FRUIT TREES IN SOUTH CHINA ARE COLLECTED.

VISITORS WHO COME TO THE CENTRE IN THE RIGHT SEASON WILL BE ABLE TO SEE FOR THEMSELVES HOW THE TREES FLOWER AND BEAR FRUIT.

BESIDES, VISITORS WILL FIND INTERESTING FRUIT TREE SPECIES IN THE CITROUS ORCHARD, THE LYCHEE ORCHARD AND BANANA GROVES.

ARBORETUM

THE ARBORETUM HAS A COLLECTION OF OVER 70 SPECIES OF TREES AND SHRUBS, OF WHICH 38 SPECIES WERE PLANTS FIRST DISCOVERED IN HONG KONG.

ECONOMIC CROPS' FIELD

IN THIS FIELD, SEASONAL LEAFY VEGETABLES, BRAN CROPS AND FRUIT CROPS ARE GROWN. IN PARTICULAR, A CORNER IS SET ASIDE FOR DEMONSTRATING 37 SPECIES OF ECONOMIC CROPS WHICH FEW MAY KNOW WHAT THEY LOOK LIKE IN THE FIELD EVEN THOUGH THE PRODUCE IS EXTREMELY COMMON.

SOME EXAMPLES ARE RICE, WATER CHESTNUT, YAM, PEANUT AND WAX GOURD.

CHINESE HERBAL GARDEN

IN THIS GARDEN, OVER 100 SPECIES OF CHINESE MEDICAL HERBS ARE GROWN. THEY ARE CLASSIFIED INTO 17 TYPES ACCORDING TO THEIR THERAPEUTIC PROPERTIES.

/ROCK AND