June 10, 1899.1
of Hongkong. It is of a genus which has only two known species, the one of Hongkong and another, R. Teysmanni, Mig., found in Sumatra. Last year Dr. A. Heury sent as a donation about 1,174 species of dried plants which he had collected while at Mengtsze in Yunnan. I found amongst them specimens of this hitherto extremely rare tree.
The specimens before me are marked on Dr. Henry's labels as being from two different places, one of them being 5,000 ft. and the other 8,000 ft. above sea level, and are marked as 10 ft. and 50 ft. as the height of the trees respectively.
These two specimens and our own are all slightly defferent in both foliage and inflores cence, but possibly not of sufficient difference to constitute them more than varietal differences. Illicium verum, Hook. f. Although so long ago as in 1888 when Sir Joseph Hooker was able to figure the star anise plant, and to describe it under the above name, from plants which I had sent to Kew, and which proved that up to that time Illcium religiosum, Sieb, had always been wrongly credited as being the source of star anis of commerce, I notice that the French in Tonkin, where the plant is largely cultivated, appear to be still unaware of the fact as the Tonkin newspapers still refer to it under the wrong name, and the same mistake is made in English literature in China, Sir Joseph Hooker wrote fully on this plant under Tab 7005 in the Botanical Magazine for 1888.
Stawberries-It may be useful to record bere the great success achieved by the Chinese grower at Wongneichung, from whence a very liberal supply of excellent fruit has been sent to the market this year, and which was sold at prices which should encourage extended cul- tivation for market supply.
FORESTRY.
The total number of trees planted is 33,923; they were planted in 17 different localitie- ranging over places as far as to Repulse Bay aud Tytamtuk.
THINNING OF PLANTATION,
16,191 trees were removed from sight local- ities, about half of the number being felled in Kowloon. These thinnings realised $444.51 net.
LANTANA.
CIĦNA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
increase the width of the lines in some place where vegetation has become dense.
Unfortunately it is impossible to discover how or by whom fires have originated but I have no doubt that in nearly all cases it is by the carelessness of people using matches, and I have good reasons for thinking that Europeans and natives alike are responsible for such thoughtlessness.
THE ROYAL LONGKONG GULF CLUB.
BEST SCORE POOL FOR MAY.
Mr. H. L. Dalrymple... 94 Mr. C. A. Tomes.....
99
8
86 91
10 entries. CAPTAIN'S CUP AND SILVER MEDAL FOR JUNE.
477
How, also, can Dr. Clark, or how can any official, single-handed surpervise the sanitary in- spectors' work in their districts. Surely there should be assistant Medical Officers of Health for every 50,00) inhabitants and a sanitary in- spector each 8,000 inhabitants. Without this, good work cannot be done.
The President of the Board should devote much of his time to supervising the sanitary work and ensuring efficient carrying out of Ordinances and he should be relieved of other official duties to a considerable extent to enable him to do this.
The Governor of a Crown Colony like Hong-
Following cards were returned during the kong is practically master of the Colony he governs. It is his privilege to be Governcr; month :---
it is his duty to make the place healthy at all cost. The health of the people is the highest law. Iu Hongkong, despite two Bishops and many priests and parsons the very first duties of a Christian state bave been neglected and thousands of Chinese work- ing men have been allowed to hord together natil the plague poison now lives and thrives amongst them, and all for what? To en- able a body of landlords to gather in excessive rents.
There was a much better attendance on the links than during the last competition for the above cup. Owing to some heavy, though very welcome, rain the course was rendered some what slow, which, combined with a consequent growth of grass, provented very brilliant scores being returned. We noticed several of the Powerful's playing round, and were glad to welcome back, after three months' absence at Manila, members of this popular cruiser.
Following are the cards handed in :-
CAPTAIN'S CUP. Dr. J. A. Lowson Mr. C. Palmer.
W. Taylor C. A. Tomes Lieut. Halsey, R.N.
25 entries. POOL.
Mr. G Stewart
C. Palmer
C. A. Tomes...
85 0 85 97 11 86 99 12 87 102 11 91 109 12 97
90 4 861 97 11 86 102 11 91
tie!
25 entries. Above competitions, it should be noted, were played under handicaps, lately revised by the
Committee.
In a recent friendly game Dr. J. A. Low- son returned the fine score of 35-37 72. which is the best completed round of the links effected under present conditions of length, &c.
CORRESPONDENCE.
[We do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions expressed by our correspondents.]
THE SANITARY CONDITION OF
HONGKONG.
This plant has established itself at the West end and in the Happy Valley. Nearly all of it on Crown lands was cut down during 1898 to keep it in check, as it is a troublesome weed when it encroaches on plantations.
PROTECTIVE SERVICE. I Illicit tree cutting
been has again brought within reasonable limits. The total number of trees cut and reported is 686. The number of convictions obtained by the forest
TO THE EDITOR OF THE “DAÍLY PRESS,' guards was 51. There are, however, always a
SIR.-I beg to invite the attention of HE. large number of trees cut where the culprits are undetected. The convictions are mostly the Governor of this colony to the following for cutting pine trees for firewood. Rememstatements. It is reported that although an bering that there are only five forest guards for the whole Island and Kowloon, of the protection of the vast number of trees in existence must be considered as being very economically managed. In Hongkong alone, without Kow- loon, there are nearly 30 square miles to protect.
PIRES.
Grass fires as a rule occur only during the dry season. In the year under review there were 11 between January 1st and June 14th, and 16 between October 20th and December 23rd. Trees to the number of 3,285 were destroyed by 10 of these fires, the other 17 fires did no damage to trees, grass only and small shrubs being burnt by them.
The Police at the stations nearest to the scenes of the fires and forest guards were in strumental in extinguishing the fires, and I have again to acknowledge the valuable sorvices rendered by the Police Department in this work, as also in notifying me of the occurrence of fires.
The fire lines, of which there are about 50 miles in the Colony, consist of lines from 10 to 15 feet wide of the earth cleared-most of them annnally-of all grass and vegetation. These lines of bared earth in most cases where fires reach them are effective in checking their pro gress, but in some instances when strong winds ocour at the time of the fires pieces of ignited material are carried over the lines and start fires where they fall. It will be necessary to
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The Governor represents these silent masses of Chinese, these toilers who are fleeced in
high rents and are deprived of latrines, bathing houses, or open spaces, and all that makes for health or morality. England does not bestow her governorships simply to grant status or rank to an individual, She grants it as a means to an end; that is, that witbout fear, favour, or affection, he may do justice to all under his coutrol in the name. of England. If he does this he is a Governor; if he omits it he is then merely the shadow of a name and is valueless for good.
Thursday's (June 1st, 1899) debate at the Sani- tary Board may be made of historic interest to this important colony if it be th› starting point of effective sanitary reform, a victory of the an- other glorious 1st of June. To carry out such a reform, foremost of all is needed an inspection staff fall in number, well paid, and, shall I say, well supervised.
The true Health Officer of this colony, res- ponsible to the colony, to the Empire, and to the world at large, is that official who with high status, just salary, and the amplest power, site in the s at of Governor. If he reads Kipling's verses in The White Man's Burden" he will remem- ber the lines :-
Take up the White Man's Burden,
The Savage Wars of peace,
Fill full the mouth of Famine
And bid the sickness ceass.
The last line sums up all that this letter deals with. It is now for the Governor to do the work which is essentially his duty and his highest privilege.-Yours,
SALUS POPULI ŠUPREMA LEX. Hongkong 5th June, 1899.
A CORRECTION. TO THE EDITOR OF THE
of DAILY PRESS. Ordinance was passed some year or more ago directing that a half yearly limewashing should
SIR.-May I trouble you about a small per- take place in the tenement houses in the Chi-
sonal matter? I wished a corner in your well- úese quarter of this city, little or no action was
known paper to state that the article headed taken by the Sanitary Executive to enforce this
"South Formosa Notes By Rev. W. Camp- Ordinance. It is also said that until the renewed
bell" in the current number of the Chinese outbreak of the plague this year, 1899. no
It first thorough steps were taken to enforce the Ordin- Recorder is no production of mine. Race in the plague stricken Districts, especially appeared in the Hongkong China Mail as
contribution from "Our Own Correspondent," No. 9 District, where the plague now exists
It appears that No 9 District has a Chinese whose place of honoar I have neither the time. population of 4,500 people, a town in itself. This filthy Chinese town of No. 9 District, teeming with population at 600 persons per acre, is supervised by a single sanitary inspector, at a small salary, a man like a sergeant of police. This official has to visit 1,000 Chinese houses, with 2,500 seperate floors, all teeming with life and filth-such filth! If he inspected twenty Chinese houses per diem he would take 50 days to visit his district. What a farce, what an utter farce, then, must inspection be with such a staff aud in such a city!
nor the talent to aspire to. His "Notes," dating from last December, follow up a series of simi- lar statements published some time ago in China, London, and Glasgow; statements which keep ringing the changes on the alleged inep- titude of Japanese rule in Formosa, and which quite apparently emanate from one or another of the four European gentlemen residing in this inland city. No matter, however, who the writer may be, it is placing some of us living under protection of the Authorities here in rather an awkward position to have such state- Before, therefore, we adjudge blame or neglect ments again put in circulation under the v. il of to the Sanitary executive we should ask, is the anonymity. Their manifest one-sidedness has staff sufficient for its work? Everyone knows slready been openly challenged, while this is not the first occasion on which I have had to it is not, and hence we have this year 1899 au- other plague outbreak. Should not these object that their authorship should be foisted sanitary inspectors send in, month by month, a apra me. As to the general question, I may return of bonses in their district that have been remark that although the Japanese in Formosa limewashed in accordance with the law, and (as in the case of less successful colonisers action be taken against all who neglect the Act? | in Madagascar and the Philippines) have
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