Sessional_Paper_1905 — Page 216

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GOMPERTZ, Rev. G. GUSSMANN, Dr. HASS (Tsingtau), E. R. HALIFAX, Capt. HODGINS, E. HUTCHINGS, Mrs. IRVING, Capt. LIGHT, LI PAK, Police Stations at Aberdeen, Cheung Chow, Shatin, Tai O, and Tung Chung, Dr. A. PROSCHOWSKY (France), C. ROEBELEN (Siam), Mrs. SHARP, Mrs. SLADE, U. S. Department of Agriculture, Inspector A. WATSON, and Victoria Gaol.

The chief donors of plants were as follows:-

:--

Lady BLAKE (Ceylon), Botanic Gardens of Durban, Kew, Saharanpur, Singapore, Sydney and Trinidad, Mrs. EHMER, Forestry Bureau (Manila), Harvard University, U. S. A., Dr. Hass.( Tsingtau), H. E. Major-General V. HATTON, Capt. HODGINS, Capt. LIGHT, Rev. L. MARIE, S. W. MOORE, R. H. MORTIMORE (Ningpo), Messrs. JARDINE, MATHESON & Co., W. B. PRICE (California, Mrs. SHARP, Mrs. SETH, Mrs. SLADE, J. GEANT SMITH, South California Acclima- tization Association, Prof. Sargent (U. S. A.), C. ROEBELEN (Siam), W. H. WALLACE (Amoy), E. L. WOODIN (Sandakan).

OTHER GROUNDS.

Protestant Cemetery.-Gardening operations were carried out by the Foreman, and two resident gardeners during the year. Much damage was done to the flower borders by wild deer and it will probably be necessary to fence the Cemetery when funds admit.

Blake Garden.-The resumed area in Taipingshan district had been modelled as a garden, turfed and partially planted before the end of the year. When the operations accompanying the spring planting have been carried out it will be possible to admit the public, but the garden will not of course assume a finished appearance for some time.

King's Park, Kowloon.-Work upon the valley at the south-west corner of this area was entered upon at the beginning of the year with the object of com bining accommodation for games with a certain amount of landscape effect, owing however to the great demand for flat ground for games this scheme had to be abandoned and every foot levelled to accommodate them. When the funds provided in the Estimates of this Department were expended an extended scheme of draining and levelling was begun by the Public Works Department.

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Roadside Rockeries and Ornamental Plots.-These were maintained as usual during the year. Agaves were planted round Rockeries Nos. 19, 20 and 31 (which are near chair-stands) to keep the chair coolies from walking on the plants.

West End Park. This area was taken in hand and thoroughly tidied up during the autumn and its appearance is now further improved by the removal of the large heap of builders' rubbish that had been shot over from the road. The contractor who threw this rubbish on to public land was compelled to remove it himself and the great extra expense incurred should be a warning to contractors meditating similar incursions.

Mountain Lodge. The remodelling of the valley below the house on the south-east was completed and the slopes turfed before the spring. The planting of the sides of the valley with flowering shrubs was commenced. The footpath round the rocky peak to the west of the house was completed, being about half a mile long and opening up a very picturesque but otherwise inaccessible part of the grounds.

Victoria Hospital.-A small grant for improving the surroundings of the new building was spent in levelling and turfing the space at the west end for tennis, and in planting shrubs on the newly made banks, and creepers on the walls. live fence of bamboo was made between the tennis ground and the road.

A

East Point Bamboo Nursery.-It has become more and more difficult of recent years to keep this unfenced nursery tidy. During May a high bamboo fence was constructed round it which will be an advantage to the nursery itself and to the neighbourhood.

A list is appended (Appendix A.) of the various Gardens, Parks, Rockeries, etc., for which the Department is solely or conjointly responsible.