104 proceedings: botanical society 



from the waterfall coming over a cliff at the back of the garden. The 

 exquisite beauty of this garden is due to the well kept green lawn, the group- 

 ing of many kinds of palms and especially to the splendid specimens of 

 rajah palms, Cyrtostachysl akka, with brilliant scarlet midribs and graceful 

 feathery leaves. There are many economic as well as ornamental plants 

 in this garden and all are well labeled. 



The large and well planted Botanical Garden on the island of Singa- 

 pore, about 2\ miles from the heart of the city, is the most attractive 

 feature of this combined Gibraltar and Liverpool of the Orient. It is 

 only one degree north of the equator, less than 100 feet above sea level, 

 and is watered with 100 to 140 inches of rain annually. There isn't 

 a water pipe or piece of garden hose in all Singapore. The numerous 

 palms and bamboos are among the most attractive features, while not 

 the least interesting are the Para rubber trees, Heva braziliensis, from 

 which have developed the great rubber plantations of the East Indies. 

 One of these trees, planted in 1879, measures 10 feet 3 inches in circum- 

 ference. Dr. Ridley, who recently resigned the position of Director, 

 has kept the garden in remarkably good condition, considering the lack 

 of funds and the small force at his disposal. 



The Botanical Garden at Buitenzorg, founded in 1817, is justly regarded 

 as the great botanical garden of the world. It is 5° 20" south of the 

 equator, 861 feet above the sea, covers 83 acres all planted, and with 219 

 rainy days a year has about 16 feet of rain. The garden is strictly tropi- 

 cal and one looks in vain for plants of temperate or even semitropical 

 regions. Among hundreds of palms, the date palm and palmetto are 

 conspicuously absent. The plants, all perennials and largely trees, 

 are arranged by families, each species represented by two specimens, 

 and each specimen labeled with a number and the technical name. The 

 visitors' laboratories connected with this garden, where visiting botan- 

 ists may carry on research work, is a feature for which the. generous 

 management of the gardens deserves the gratitude of the botanical world. 



The Public Gardens at Hongkong are perched on terraces on the steep 

 mountain side above the town, and are accessible to no conveyance 

 except a Sedan chair. The 16 acres in the gardens contain plants of 

 the tropics, semitropic and warmer temperate climates. The herbarium 

 at this garden contains one of the best collections of south China plants 

 in existence. One of the most attractive trees in the garden is Araucaria 

 rulea from New Caledonia, about 6 m. high and almost perfect in form 

 and color. 



The small garden at Taihoku, the Japanese capital of Taiwan (For- 

 mosa), is only a few years old. The Japanese effect produced by ponds, 

 mounds, rustic bridges and dwarfed trees is quite different from any- 

 thing seen elsewhere. Camphor and other trees of Taiwan are repre- 

 sented and plants are being introduced from other countries. 



These botanical gardens are fulfilling a many sided mission, in attract- 

 ing tourists, educating even the casual observer as to the identity of 

 plants, indicating the sources of plant products, introducing and dis- 



