233 



Central American Rxibber(Castilloa elastica) and Ceara Rubber (Manihct 

 Glaziovii) 



The celebrated palm, Mauritia flexuosa, fruited for the first time. 

 An account of this palm is given in the Bulletin for October- December, 

 1894. 



The young Durian plants and Coco-de-Mer palms are growing 

 freely. 



The Brazil Nut trees {Bertholletia excelsa) which grew so little for 

 several vears, are now shooting out, due to clearing away trees round 

 them. 



The usual attention has been given to collecting seeds for sowing 

 and for distribution and exchange. 



As plants are more conveniently distributed from Hope as a 

 centre, not so many have been sent direct to their destination from 

 Oastleton as last year, viz. : 4,196, the sum realised being £36 17s. 2d. 

 More have been sent to Hope for distribution, viz. : 10,830, valued 

 by Mr. Thompson at £147 9s. 9d. 



Mr. Thompson was on leave for part of the year, and Mr. Wm. 

 Harris kindly undertook the very onerous task of acting for him, 

 riding across country and back from Cinchona once a week, a distance 

 each way of about 30 miles. 



The elevation of the garden above sea-level is 496 feet. 



The average mean annual temperature is 76 ° F., and the 

 average annual rainfall 113*11 inches for twenty-seven years. The 

 amount of rain that fell during the year was 108*51 inches. 



The wettest months were May, July, August, November and Janu- 

 ary and the driest were December, February, March. 



The mean temperature for the year was 74.8 F. The Meteoro- 

 logical tables for the different months are given on page 241. 



Hill Gardens. 



The following Report is by Mr. Wm. Harris, F.L.S., Superin- 

 tendent. 



Cinchona.* — The vote for this Garden having been reduced to a 

 very small sum, it was not possible, to do anything during the past 

 year beyond keeping the Garden and immediate surroundiugs clean 

 and tidy. 



The pastures, fences and Plantation roads, which had hitherto been 

 kept up out of the Garden Vote, received little or no attention during 

 the year, and the consequence is that they are all in bad order. 



The usual Garden work, such as pruning shrubs, forking beds and 

 borders, mowing lawns, cutting edges, propagating and watering plants, 

 was carried on during the year as far as the very limited means at our 

 disposal would allow. 



A plant of Wistaria chinensis, presented by Dr. Plaxton, flowered in 

 March 1899, for the first time. 



Annuals. — At various times during the year we had fine displays 

 of, Dianthus, Phlox* Lobelia, Mignonette, and such like, in addition to 

 the usual exhibits of Pelargoniums, Fuchsias, Gloxinias, Amaryllis, &c. 



♦tFor Report on Cinchona Plantations see Page 224. 



