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so as to put the Gardens of the Straits Settlements on the level in 
staff of some, at least, of the smaller Gardens of the other Colonies 
was inserted in the Estimates for the next year, but circumstances 
prevented this addition to the staff being made. 
The keen demand for Para rubber seed from the Garden trees 
necessitated the frequent mowing and cleaning of the ground and 
drains so as to procure every possible seed, and as this part of the 
Garden is hardly above sea-level and the ground frequently flooded 
the growth of the weeds is very rapid. Watchmen have had to be 
■employed too to prevent the seeds and plants in the nurseries from 
raiders. The largest undertaking in <this Garden, apart from the 
routine and urgent work, during the year consisted in digging the 
young Rubber ground, formerly under grass, three times over so as 
to thoroughly eradicate the grass and weeds. The plot is 300 yards 
long and 120 yards wide, and when it had been thoroughly cleaned 
and was sufficiently dry it was planted up in blocks with Tapioca, 
Ground-nuts, Ramie, Lemon Grass, Citronella and Cus-Cus. 
Hitherto it had been impossible to grow the rubber trees here on 
account of a plague of brown slugs which, concealed by day in the 
grass weeds, attacked the buds of the rubber by night preventing 
its growth. The result of this cultivation of catch-crops between 
the young rubber has been the" extermination of this pest, and the 
growth of the young plants very satisfactory. 
The question of catch-crops for rubber has been one of the 
most important ones of the year, and is the subject of a large 
quantity of the garden correspondence. It is regrettable that the 
paucity of the staff prevents time being given to experiments on 
this subject carried out as they should be. 
A good deal of Colonial interest during the ‘past two years has 
been taken in fibres of all sorts, and the plot of land opened last 
year has been maintained and large stocks of the most likely fibres 
for cultivation here have been raised. 
Among, the most free-growing fibres as judged by its strong 
development of leaves is Sanseviera guineensis. S. zeylanica has 
grown well also, but is not quite so quick in supplying a good 
stock of leaves. S. sulcata and S. cylindrica have proved healthy, 
but, though furnishing the largest supply of fibre for the leaf and 
being the easiest to handle for machine work, are unfortunately too 
slow as a catch-crop in this country. 
Mauritius hemp grows well in ordinary soils. Sisal hemp has 
been kept under observation, but does not seem to do well ; it is 
essentially a plant for dry sandy loose soil. 
The Coffee and Rambong ground has been well maintained. 
No part of the Gardens is well suited to these plants, but for the 
purpose of meeting the demand for Rambong (Ficus elastica) 
cuttings it has been possible to produce 150 rooted cuttings by 
marcotting, and though the parents may never develope into robust 
plants they will serve as stock plants. The demand is chiefly, 
however, for seed and seedlings, and a strong batch of seedlings 
raised here were disposed of through the year. 
