149 



None of those twelve trees can be said to be suitable shade trees 

 as they do not possess one of the essential requirements of a first 

 class shade tree i.e., a good spreading head of branches. 



Some six or seven years ago, Mr. Ridley selected the driest part 

 of the Garden for Australian plants ; Callistemons, Grevilleas, Acacias 

 and three Eucalypts were planted therein. The present condition of 

 those Eucalypts is as follows ; — E. citriodora is now about fifteen feet 

 high, of slender growth, the lower branches continually dying off and 

 altogether not in a very healthful condition; E. gomphucephala is 

 now about eight feet high and in a similar condition to last; E. robusta 

 on the other hand, as the name implies, is of more robust growth. 

 The specimen is now about eighteen feet high and in this case, the 

 lower branches remain on the plant for a much longer period than 

 on any of the other two. It is the most healthy specimen of the three 

 and it will be interesting to note its future growth. 



It will be seen therefore, that little or no success has resulted in 

 the endeavour to establish Eucalypts in Singapore. 



Why? 



Eucalypts are only and can only be propagated from seed, and it 

 is to the inability of the seedling to withstand our humid climate^ 

 that the failure of establishing Eucalypts must be attributed. I 

 have personally sown the seeds and attended them in every way 

 possible and after the seedlings have produced their second leaf they 

 suddenly die, damping off at the neck. This happened to all varieties 

 with but one exception i.e., E. citriodora. We have now seven 

 or eight fairly healthy plants in small pots and it is intended ta 

 try those at a later date in a variety of situations and note results. 



In support of my experience with seed and seedlings I may 

 quote from one of our correspondents. He says: — " I may say that 

 the Eucalyptus has so far shewn no sign of being a success. The 

 seeds were bedded out in the same manner as Tobacco seeds — in 

 "tempat bibits ". Only one variety {E. hemiphloia) germinated at all 

 in numbers, but these, with a doubtful one here and there in other 

 beds, seemed to be eaten away rapidly and completely. No broken 

 leaves were seen — they simply vanished!" 



It may not be amiss to repeat what the late Mr, Murton said in 

 his Report of Botanic Gardens in 1878. He said: — 



I have been very successful during the first year in raising the 

 various species of Eucalyptus, which hitherto have proved very 

 difficult to raise from seed in this climate. A number of plants of 

 Eucalypts as well as other plants have been supplied to the Public 

 Works Department for planting in the reservoir grounds near Govern 

 ment Hill and also for the reservoir grounds at Thompson Road. 



