Sessional_Paper_1907 — Page 610

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A fine collection of living economic and decorative plants was sent by the Acting Director of Forests and Gardens in Mauritius with the approval of His Excellency the Governor of that Colony and in co-operation with the Mauritius Chamber of Agriculture. The thanks of the Hongkong Government have already been conveyed for this gift.

The other donors of plants and seeds were:

Mr. J. D. D'ABBADIE; Agricultural Society, Madras; ARNOLD ARBORETUM; Messrs. A. BABINGTON, J. BARTON, BOEHMER & Co., Lady BLAKE, (Ceylon); Botanic Garden, Calcutta, Jamaica, Mauritius, Singapore, Sydney, Trinidad ; Rev. G. BUNBURY; Bureau of Agriculture, Manila; Mr. CHAO LUP CHEE; Captain HODGING; Mr. F. HOWELL; Imperial Department of Agriculture, West Indies; Inspector General of Forests, India; Messrs. C. D. MELBOURNE, MUIR (Honolulu); Parks and Open Spaces, Shanghai; Sir FRANCIS T. PIGGOTT; Public Gardens, Capetown; Mr. Rowe, Professor SARGENT; Messrs. SMITH and MENZEL (South Australia); Mr. F. P. de SOARES; Southern California Acclimatizing Association; United States Department of Agriculture and Mr. W. H. WALLACE.

The chief donors of animals were :-

Sergeant KERR, Messrs. J. M. E. MACHADO and H. A. SIEBS.

Government House Grounds.--The walks were again repaired this year and part of the lawn was returfed. The destruction of turf by caterpillars was much worse than that referred to in my last report, Jeyes' Fluid having to be applied not less than four times during the year. At these times the lawns were visited by large flocks of magpies and it was hoped that a natural enemy of the caterpillars had been found; and so indeed it had, but the excavations made by the birds in extracting the caterpillars from among the roots where they feed were quite as deleterious as the ravages of the insects.

Mountain Lodge.--All the walks were taken in hand this year and put into proper order. A large number of new shrubs were planted in the grounds and the tennis ground was relevelled. For the first time it has been necessary to take steps to keep down the large earth-worms which have proved so troublesome on lawns in the lower town.

Protestant Cemetery.-An unusually large number of trees and shrubs have been lost from various causes during the year. A much needed protection from wild deer was effected by the erection along the south side of a barbed wire fence, and the damage reported last year from their inroads should not occur again.

Blake Garden.-Progress was made during the spring with the planting of trees and shrubs. A small tool house has been erected at the west end of the garden.

Peak Garden. The turfing of this small garden was finished in the spring and creepers and other shrubs were plantel at the foot of the walls and on the banks. An experiment was made by transplauting a medium sized banian tree from Pokfulam and its success in this situation should encourage futher importations of this valuable shade tree to the now all but shadeless Peak district. With its own water supply from a well and a small brick tool-house which was erected during the year the garden is now complete. It was opened to the public in July.

Sokunpo Nursery continued to perform its multifarious functions in the supply of garden, forestry and agricultural stock during the year. A large part of it was enclosed by a barbed wire fence in July and it is hoped that the inroads of cattle and wild deer which have proved troublesome of late years will thereby be stopped. Another improvement has been the construction of surface channels on the hillsides above the terraces, whereby the washing down of sand on to the growing stock during the rains will be prevented.

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Albany Nursery has been utilized in its lower part as a nursery for Cannas and other plants from which to obtain cut flowers for public purposes, instead of drawing on the Botanic Gardens as heretofore. The upper portion, which contains small trials of economic plants, has not been much extended.