Sessional_Paper_1891 — Page 321

317

No.

26

91.

HONGKONG.

REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF THE BOTANICAL AND AFFORESTATION

DEPARTMENT FOR 1890.

Laid before the Legislative Council, by Command of His Excellency the Officer Administering the Government, on the 17th July, 1891. ·

No. 26.

BOTANIC GARDENS, HONGKONG, 25th June, 1891.

SIR,-I have the honour to submit the Annual Report on this Department for the year 1890. 2. The year, taking it all through, was one generally favourable to the gardens so far as natural phenomena were concerned. There was fortunately an absence of such violent storms of wind or rain as sometimes prove so disastrous, and the rainfall was very favourable except during the last four months of the year, which were exceptionally dry. From Dr. DOBERCK's returns I observe that only 3.335 inches of rain fell during these four months, October and November having only .025 inch. This prolonged season of drought caused much extra work in artificial watering.

3. Mr. WESTLAND, the Head Gardener, I am sorry to say, suffered severely from fever and other complaints during the early part of the year; in March he left for England on leave and has not yet returned, an extension of leave for six months having been granted him.

4. In June, Mr. MOOTIAN, who had become a very efficient clerk, having adapted himself to the constantly increasing work of the office, resigned. He had for some time been dissatisfied with the remuneration of his office. The salary offered to his successor, being even smaller than that which Mr. MOOTIAN received, failed to attract candidates with suitable qualifications, but the best one of those who applied was appointed on probation, at the end of which he was relieved of his duties. Candidates were again advertised for at the same salary and a student from Victoria College, having passed very creditably in the examination and having excellent certificates, but entirely without office experience and lacking some of the requirements specified in the advertisement, was appointed. How. ever good his character and abilities might have been as a scholar he was, of course, at a great disad- vantage when placed in a position which requires considerable experience and training in office work, but I have much pleasure in testifying to the satisfactory manner in which he has applied himself to the work which he is expected to do.

5. Up to the present time the department has been without European assistance for 14 months, and for 11 out of these 14 months I have been under the very great disadvantage of having to get through the work in the best way I could with clerks who were quite unequal to the requirements of the office. The result of this feeble equipment of the office has been that very much of my time had to be employed in doing work which an ordinary clerk should have done, while other important work on which I should have been engaged had of necessity to be suspended or to receive less attention than it demanded.

BOTANIC GARDENS. Water Supply.

6. The water service to the existing tanks has been all that could be desired, but more tanks and additional piping are wanted, the New Gardens being entirely without service pipes and tanks. The fountain having been connected late in the summer, the pleasant sound of its waters in the hot weather was again heard after about one and a half year's interruption. Unfortunately during the dry season. water cannot be spared to keep the water in the basin clear, consequently it lies green and stagnant for several months when water is scarce.

Plant Houses.

7. These have all been repainted and colour-washed, and kept in good repair. Visitors much appreciate the general plant houses and if means were available I should be glad to extend them and improve their general design both for cultural and artistic purposes. Before any extension could be made it would be necessary to go to some considerable expense in retaining-walls and levelling to prepare a site for new houses, as there is no level ground in the only place in the gardens which is sufficiently sheltered from strong winds for these structures.

Lawns.

8. The whole of the turf on the lowermost terrace in which the flower-beds are situated had become very uneven owing to the settlement of the soil and the action of earth-worms; means having been found for the work the whole of the turf was therefore taken up, and, after the ground was levelled, relaid. In addition to the great improvement in appearance, the levelling has much facilitated the mowing of the grass.