Sessional_Paper_1901 — Page 310

306

FORESTRY.

Planting has been carried on in Hongkong, Kowloon and the New Territory. The planting in the New Territory has been confined to the new Road leading from Yaumati past Cheung Sha Wan to Shatin, and around the Police Stations at Taipo, Ping Shan and Au Tan. Statisties are given in Appendix B.

THINNING OF PLANTATIONS.

This branch of work has been carried on in various localities, a total of 34,706 trees having been removed, and sold for $824.45. The net revenue for forest products was $888.98. In Appendix C, particulars of the work are given.

PROTECTIVE SERVICE.

During the year, 623 trees were reported as having been illicitly cut down and removed. This is slightly less than the number (640) for the previous year. The Forest Guards brought forward 54 cases, and obtained 49 convictions, against 25 cases and 24 convictions in 1899.

FIRES.

The year has been fortunate as regards fires, only 25 being reported with a destruction of 2,067 trees, compared with 52 fires and 13,299 trees in the previous year. Eight of the fires did no damage to trees, only grass being burnt. A fire which destroyed 600 trees occurred near Tytam Reservoir, and was caused by a party of Europeans picnicking on 26th December. Many of the fires are undoubt- edly caused by the careless use of matches by pedestrians, and this is probably how the fire near Pok- fulum occurred, which destroyed nearly 800 trees. Statistics are given in Appendix D).

FIRE BARRIERS.

Old barriers were cleared to the extent of 211⁄2 miles, and new ones made to the extent of 14 miles.

CATERPILLAR PLAGUE.

In the beginning of the year, caterpillars (Metanastria punctata, Walker) were discovered on pine trees in various parts of the island, and the Superintendent at once made plans for coping with the pest by inviting Chinese coolies to collect, at a certain price per catty. The caterpillars were more prevalent on the Shun Wan peninsula, near Aberdeen, and on Aplichau Island than elsewhere, and at these places 7,030 catties, or nearly 44 tons, were collected, at a cost of $447, during March. In May they again became troublesome, and during that month and the following, 409 catties were collected at Aberdeen and Aplichau, and 500 catties at Kowloon. Towards the end of July, the second crop appeared at Kowloon, and during that month and August a further quantity of 226 cat- ties was collected.

BANIAN TREES IN QUEEN'S ROAD.

The widening of Queen's Road made it imperative that the large Banian trees (Ficus retusa) growing in front of Wellington Barracks and in front of the Naval Yard should be either cut down or transplanted. On account of the great age of the trees (they were probably growing there when Hongkong was a fishing village), it was a serious problem as to whether they would survive trans- planting, but I decided to make the experiment. Several of these were nearly a hundred feet high, with trunks 2 feet in diameter at 4 feet from the ground. I had them all lopped to within 15 or 20 feet from the ground, and then bound round with straw, before attempting to remove them. When their respective sites had been prepared, they were moved with balls of soil and roots, 8 to 12 feet in diameter, by means of wire ropes and derricks. After they were in position the soil was filled in around the roots; they were then watered and the trunks and branches kept constantly wet. Syring- ing was also carried on during removal. There were altogether 35 trees treated in this way, and I am glad to say that they are all starting to push forth new growths.

BRUSHWOOD CLEARING.

It having been proved conclusively that certain species of Anopheles were intermediate hosts of the malaria parasite, certain experiments were made, towards the end of the summer, with the object of lessening the numbers of these mosquitoes in well known fever districts. In connection with these experiments, the brushwood around the Military Sanatorium, Mount Gough, was cleared, for a space of three or four hundred yards, by the Military Authorities, so as to give the mosquitoes as little cover as possible. Similar work was likewise undertaken by this Department, by order of the Government, at Kennedy Town. It is hoped that this, in conjunction with the filling up of the breeding pools of the mosquitoes, will effect the desired result,

NEW TERRITORY.

TREE PLANTING.

Tree planting was commenced in the New Territory around the Police Stations at Ping Shan, Au Tau and Taipo, and on both sides of the Sham shui-po-Shatin Road, as previously mentioned. In all 81,154 trees were planted, particulars of which are given in Appendix B.