Sessional_Paper_1907 — Page 615

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Rotation. The fact, pointed out in my last annual report, that the plantations on the Island consist principally of trees which fall off in growth after 20 years and die during the subsequent decade, has been quickly proved to be only too true by the alarming number of trees reported as dead (besides those killed by the typhoon) during the year (see Table VI); every year indeed makes it more evident that the short rotation, recommended by me and so much criticized in 1904, is quite long enough for the present local conditions. There are certain situations in the Island, such as the Happy Valley, where forest soil and forest conditions still persist and in them the pine trees live to a much greater age and it is to be hoped that even in less favoured situations the gradual accumulation of humus under successive crops of pine trees will eventually provide the necessary depth of soil for similar fine woods.

Protection.-89 persons were arrested by the Forest Guards for various minor forestry offences and brought before the Police Magistrates. Two were dismissed with a caution and the remainder received small fines varying from $1 to $25 or 3 to 14 days' imprisonment : the fines were usually preferred. The number and positions of trees thus lost are given in Table VII.

New Forest Ride.-The cutting of a new ride, four feet wide, to open up

the most picturesque parts of our one patch of virgin forest, viz., at Little Hongkong, was authorized in 1905 and completed in June of last year. This woodland path turns off from the road connecting Wongneichong Gap with Little Hongkong Village at about half way between these two points, descends by a wide detour through the woods, coming back into the same road near its lower end. "The Ride" is indicated by a notice on the main road at each end.

Street Planting.-The year's programme provided for the formation of complete avenues of Candle Nut trees (Aleurites triloba) in Gascoigne Road (Kowloon) from the sea to the fork of the road, thence along S. Gascoigne Road to its junction with Robinson Road and along the latter from that point up to the beginning of the existing Banian avenue, 234 trees in all. These were planted and enclosed in tree guards before the end of May. With the exception of a few killed in the typhoon all have done well.

Ninety-seven Heteropanax trees were planted in Des Voeux Road (Hongkong) to complete the planting begun there in 1904. A number of these were damaged by sea water, which flooded this lowlying road during the typhoon. During the latter part of the_sum- mer 152 clumps of bamboo were planted along Mount Gough Road, Aberdeen Road and Mount Kellet Road at the Peak.

A return was made in April of all street trees to which wires were fastened as supports to telephone and other poles. Many of the trees had long been so used and had become badly damaged in consequence. A request was issued to all companies and departments concerned to remove their wires and by the end of the year nearly all had been properly fixed to the ground or to other unobjectionable supports. A notification, which has now been published, that any further wires found fastened to trees will be detached by this department, should put an end to this unnecessary menace to our shade trees.

In consequence of the widening of Robinson Road, Kowloon, it has been necessary dur- ing the year to lower a row of large Baniaus on the East side of the road by about 6 feet. Although some of the trees weighed 3 or 4 tous the process was successfully accomplished without special machinery and by judiciously lopping the trees and turning the more shady side towards the road an actual improvement has been effected.

As a

Typhoon of September 18th.-Immediately after the storm a gang of 80 to 100. men was got together and employed in clearing the wreckage of the trees off the main streets of the town and Kowloon. By the next day the roads were open and attention could be paid to the numerous trees lying in such positions that they could be saved by re-erection. matter of fact very few of the street trees were actually lost, though a large proportion were much broken and disfigured. The small trees were pulled up first by hand and then the heavier ones by means of powerful blocks and chains. The last was raised three weeks after the typhoon and by that time all the debris in the streets, amounting in all to 222 tons had been disposed of, the wood by sale and the leaves and twigs by removal to the nearest woods. Broken branches overhanging thoroughfares were carefully looked for and removed as soon as possible after the storm, but it was more than a month before all the broken limbs were trimmed off. Two parties of foresters had already been sent off to attend to the damage to Government trees in various parts of the New Territories and they succeeded in raising and

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