105 



A visit was paid U 

 a number of orchids a 

 Mirabilis were obtained. 



A number of plants were supplied to the Government Plant- 

 ations, Perak, and some promised in return from the Taiping Hills. 



Plant sales, exclusive of $74-25 received for rubber seeds, 

 realised $319.25 as against $566.80 in 1905. This falling off was 

 mainly due to the fact that certain restrictions were placed on the 

 sales owing to there being no European in regular attendance at 



Publications. 



4 . -The usual periodicals were received during the year and 

 an interesting work presented by Messrs Veitch & Sons contain- 

 ing a good deal of useful information especially with regard to 

 varieties of Orchids. 



5. — The old Para Rubber tree at the Gardens was tapped in 

 November and December and 4 lb- 4* oz. of dry rubber obtained ; 

 this makes a total of 35 lb. 13* oz. from the tree since it was 

 first tapped. The tree reached the height of its production in 1905 

 when 4 lb. 12^ oz. of rubber were obtained. The upper branches 

 are beginning to wither and there is little doubt that it will now 

 deteriorate. Although the Experimental Garden on Penang Hill 

 has been abandoned and is now partially covered with secondary 

 growth, experiments were made on four of the Para Rubber trees 

 standing there. As the altitude is about 2,000 feet the 

 interesting. The age of the t 

 dried rubber obtained 6 lb. I 

 the various tappings. 



If proper implements for tapping the trees and drying the 

 rubber were obtained, it might be of advantage to systematically 

 tap all these trees as well as those in the Botanic Gardens themselves, 

 where 21 trees exist ready for tapping. 3,600 rubber seeds were 

 sold from the Gardens during the year for $74- 2 5> the P nce ran £ in £ 

 from $20 to $7.50 per thousand. 



Penang Hill. 



6.— The coolies employed in the compound of the Governor's 

 Hill Bungalow and the vegetable gardens were placed under the 

 charge of Mr Fernando the Public Works Overseer on the Hill. 

 The supervision was infinitely better than it had been for the pre- 

 vious two or three years, and the gardens gave evidence or 

 increased industry on the part of the coolies. That this increased 

 "dustry was not spontaneous was evident from the fact that 

 several complaints were received from the coolies regarding the 

 increased severity of the tasks they were called on to perform. 

 p A new additional vegetable garden was started just below 

 Belle Vue Bungalow and has proved a success. 



