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252

No. 119.

THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 14TH MAY, 1879.

GOVERNMENT NOTIFICATION.

The following letter from the Superintendent of the Botanical Gardens is published for general information.

By Command,

W. H. MARSH,

Colonial Secretary.

Colonial Secretary's Office, Hongkong, 8th May, 1879.

[No. 12.]

BOTANICAL GARDENS,

HONGKONG, 7th May, 1879.

SIR, I have the honour to submit, for the information of His Excellency the Governor, the , appended statistics on plant and seed exchanges which have been conducted by this department since

it was made a separate establishment on the 15th of March, up to the end of April last.

The following are introductions of special interest:---

Reana Grass, (Euchlæna luxurians, Dur.), received from Sir JOSEPH D. HOOKER, Director, Royal Gardens, Kew. This was figured, and described by Sir J. HOOKER, in the Botanical Magazine for March. Sir J. HOOKER says Few fodder grasses have of late years attracted more attention than the magnificent plant here figured, whether for its supposed value or for its botanical interest." In the Water-Lily house at Kew it grew fifteen feet high last year. The plants of it here are growing remarkably fast, and when distributed it will probably spread rapidly and prove a valuable addition to the fodder grasses of this Colony. It is a native of Guatemala."

Bamboo. The one called "Mow Chuk" has, after many fruitless attempts to procure it, been obtained by the kind assistance of Mr. HELLAND of the Foochow Imperial Arsenal. This is probably the largest and one of the most valuable of the genus.

BEE.

Chrysanthemum cuttings of the very best kinds have been kindly contributed by Mr. CHOW CHEE

In compliance with a request from Dr. CHANG, of the Tung Wa Hospital, some vegetable produc- tions have been supplied for medicinal purposes,

荡

I have the honour to be,

Sir,

Your most obedient Servant,

CHARLES FORD, Superintendent.

The Honourable W. II. MARSH,

Colonial Secretary.

APPENDIX No. I.

Contributions from

NAMES, &c., OF CONTRIBUTORS.

PLANTS.

SEEDS. PACKETS.

ZOOLOGICAL.

Sampson, T., Canton,

1

Hill, W., Brisbane Botanic Gardens,

31

Whitehead, W. T.,

1 bear.

Chow Chee Bee, (cuttings),

140

Do.

Humphreys, J. D., .

Poate, T. P., Japan,

Queensland Acclimatisation Society,

Ellis, Captain, S. S. Normanby,.

Jules de Cock, Messrs., Ghent,

Helland, A., Foochow,

69

Do.,

**

4

45 1

2 wallabies.

2 parrots.

24

Totals,.....

249

71

CHARLES FORD,

Superintendent, Botanic Gardens.