105 
A visit was paid to the- Langkawi Islands in August, when 
a number of orchids and another specimen of the* Impatiens 
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 
the Gardens. 
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. 
* Para Rubber. 
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 tjie Para Rubber trees 
standing there. As the altitude is about 2,000 feet the results were 
interesting. The age of the trees? was ab'out 12 years and the total 
dried rubber obtained 6 lb. 6 oz. Appendix A. gives the results of 
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 $74.25, the price ranging 
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 \vas infinitely better than it had been for the pre- 
vious two or three years, and the gardens gave evidence of 
increased industry on the part of the coolies. That this increased 
industry 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. 
A new additional vegetable garden was started just below 
Belle Vue Bungalow and has proved a success. 
