HORTICULTURE 
XVII. GARDENS MAINTENANCE 
60. The density of trees in the Gardens has reached such a concentration 
that further planting of important species and new introductions can only be 
done at the price of removing old trees whose performance is known and 
which are now established in commercial nurseries and in private gardens, no 
matter how beautiful they may be. Over a dozen unimportant trees or trees 
which are replicated in the Gardens were culled to make room for new plant- 
ings. Some 200 newly introduced plants established in pots await planting out. 
Notable losses of old trees were: 
Cedrela glaziovii (Lawn C). an extremely handsome tree of about 80 ft. height, 
suffering from termite attack and die-back of the branches. Breaking 
branches damaged and endangered the herbarium roof. 
Ficus benjamina (Lawn B), culled to improve the husbandry of other newer 
plants growing nearby. 
Araucaria cunningluimii, storm damage (Lawn B). 
Fagraea fragrans, storm damage. (Lawn F). 
Elaeocarpus ganitrus, a gnarled specimen some 50 ft. high and a bole of 20 
ft. girth wh'ch was completely hollow, culled to permit new planting on 
Lawn T. This lawn and adjacent Lawn Z in February 1942 during the 
Japanese attack on Singapore were subject to concentrated artillery 
bombardment. Many shells burst in the tree crowns. It seems likely that 
this Elaeocarpus and many other trees on these lawns which have died 
or are now slowly dying of die-back and fungal attack in the crown and 
the top of the trunk suffered damage during this bombardment 19 years 
ago which permitted fungal invasion. Similar damage has been reported 
amongst forest trees in the Federation through military and aerial action 
during the emergency. 
61. Shrubs and trees pruned were Trachylobium verrucosum, Caesat- 
pinia pulcherrima, Erythrina glauca, Amherstia nobilis, Calamus scipionum, 
22 bougainvilleas and a Bauhinia bidentata. Cyrtosperma lasioides running 
rampant at the upper end of the lake was cut back; much of it will have to be 
eradicated as its roots are blocking the flow of water through the Dell Rockery 
into the Lake. 
62. As a result of cutting out and losses by natural causes, it was possible 
to find space to put out 63 trees and shrubs, most of which were newly intro- 
duced plants. These changes necessitated amending the lawn plans which was 
done. 
63. The canna beds along the side of Main Gate Road were dug out, 
manured and replanted. Other herbaceous beds were also manured with 
cattle dung and/or artificials. Sixty bushes of bougainvillea were trenched 
with cattle dung and compost. Four hundred and forty-two plant labels were 
made or repaired. The bank along the Lake and bordering the Main Gate 
Road was turfed. 
64. A part of the orchid nursery was divided off for the purpose of dis- 
playing orchid plants to the public. This will permit a greater number of plants 
to be on show at any one time than was possible when the plants were put out 
in the plant house of Lawn L. Now about 130 plants, changed weekly, are on 
display at any one time. 
XVIII. PESTS AND DISEASES 
65. The long-tailed macaque monkeys ( Macaca irus ) remain the worst 
pest. Only four were shot during the year and none caught in traps. Shooting 
is of little avail as a single shot will scatter all the monkeys to the tree-top to 
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