40. While on overseas leave Mr. H. M. Burkill attended the Field 
Meeting of the British Phycological Society held in the Scilly Isles, Great 
Britain, 4th-9th September, and gave a talk on Malayan Seaweeds. 
XIX. METEOROLOGICAL RECORDS 
41. The year was unusually wet with a precipitation of 126.69 inches, 
28 inches over the recorded 54-year average of 98.17 inches. Though average 
monthly rainfall records smooth out to a pattern of 6 to 1 1 inches precipitation, 
the year experienced extremes of wetness in January of 21.58 inches, and 
in November and December of 20.51 and 25.10 inches respectively. Rainfall 
at Bukit Timah was, as usual, heavier than in the Gardens. Details of rainfall 
and certain other meteorological phenomena at the Botanic Gardens, Bukit 
Timah and the Commonwealth War Graves Commission Cemetery at Kranji 
are given in Appendices II to V. 
XX. SOCIETIES AND EXHIBITIONS 
42. The staff continued to give assistance to both the Singapore 
Gardening Society and the Orchid Society of S.E. Asia (formerly the 
Malaysian Orchid Society) with talks and demonstrations. Mr. Tan Kim Ho 
was Hon. Secretary of the Orchid Society and Mr. A. G. Alphonso and 
Mr. Ang Gek Choo were Committee members. Mr. Alphonso was also Vice- 
President of the Singapore Gardening Society for the year 1967-68. Mr. 
H. M. Burkill served on the Singapore Branch Committee of the Malayan 
Nature Society. 
43. The flower show organised by the Singapore Gardening Society 
was held between 31st March and 2nd April, and was officially opened by 
Inche Yusof bin Ishak, President of the Republic. Mr. Ang Gek Choo was 
Hon. Show Manager and Mr. Lam Hin Cheng Hon. Show Secretary. Show 
judges included Mr. H. M. Burkill and Mr. A. G. Alphonso. Due to circums- 
tances beyond the Society’s control, the Annual Orchid Show of the Orchid 
Society of S.E. Asia could not be held. 
44. The Department put up two floral displays on an exhibition scale 
for state banquets held at the Singapore Conference Hall to mark: (1) National 
Day Celebration, and (2) the visit of the Prime Minister of Japan. 
45. An unexpected problem of the interior floral decorator was 
alarmingly demonstrated during the preparations for the second of these 
occasions. A bull-frog, small in body but very loud in voice, slipped in 
amongst the potted plants and as the work of banking and arranging was 
nearing completion on the eve of the banquet, he set up his usual evening 
serenade. Consternation struck the horticultural team for the possibilities of 
frog- barracking during the after-dinner speeches could not be countenanced. 
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