Sessional_Paper_1887-1888 — Page 209

HONGKONG.

20

No. 18

REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF THE BOTANICAL AND AFFORESTATION DEPARTMENT FOR 1887.

Presented to the Legislative Council, by Command of His Excellency the Governor.

BOTANICAL AND AFFORESTATION DEPARTMENT, HONGKONG, 13th April, 1888.

SIR, I have the honour to submit the Annual Report on this Department for the year 1887.

ESTABLISHMENT.

88.

There has only been one change amongst the officers and foremen. That change was the loss of the foreman in charge of the plant houses; he, unfortunately, died from the effects of a wound received while arresting a youth who was pilfering flowers. There were, however, as usual, a large number- 16-of changes amongst the lower ranks. These frequent changes are a great inconvenience and drawback, but there will be no help for it while recruits have to be obtained from the only source which is now available.

A carpenter was added to the staff during the year, and the result has been very beneficial to the department.

BOTANIC GARDENS.

The general condition of the Gardens is kept up to as high a standard as possible with the means at my disposal, but, although the Colony is proud of its Gardens, there yet remains very much to be done in order to bring them up to a standard which would not be too much to expect being realised. When the estimates were submitted last year I had the honour to advert to this subject and to point out how improvements might be effected, but as the additional means could not be furnished I can only do the best with what is at my disposal and hope for better things in the future. As it is I regret that any attempt at improving Glenealy Ravine in the New Garden will again have to be postponed.

I fear too that some curtailments will have to be made in the arrangements for the propagation and growth of plants for sale to the public. The glass plant-house will also, I fear, scarcely stand through another year.

Fountain Terrace.

The re-arrangement of this terrace has been completed, and the beds have been planted with roses, so that now the whole of the terrace is a rose-garden. In addition to the improvements of new beds and relaying of the turf, an examination of the underground drainage showed it to be wholly defective, consequently a large quantity of the drains were removed and re-laid, and the curb stones and levels of walks were also taken up and re-arranged.

Thinning and removal of Trees.

This work has been continued whenever opportunities offered for effecting improvements.

Plant Houses.

An addition to these has been made by the erection of a Propagation House 50 feet long by 12 feet wide. Our own carpenter has been employed on this work whenever he could be spared. A portion of this house was obtained from Messrs. FOSTER and PEARSON, of Notts, England.

Fern Houses and Plant House.

The bamboo screens, of which the roofs and sides of these houses are composed, were all in a con- dition not calculated to carry them through another year, therefore a large quantity of new material has been manufactured in the Gaol for re-roofing the houses.

The space between the above two houses has been enclosed and furnished with specimens of ferns of species of large stature.

The three houses now form a continuous range 123 feet long.

Glass House.

This is in a very rotten state and will not, I fear, be able to stand a gale this year. If it should be blown down we may have to regret the loss of the plants it contains.