Experience having shown that this plant; requires essentially tropical conditions, warm 
“ well-Blieltered places, with good virgin soil, were chosen; some of the plants thus put out 
“ were protected by the natural ^hade of the forest, others by a sloping thatch of grass. Until 
“ the arrival of the cold season all went well, but the unusually low temperature that pre- 
“ vailed during that season was fatal to the majority of the plants, and 1 am driven reluctantly 
“ to the conclusion that it is doubtful whether ipecacuanha can be successfully cultivated as 
“ an outdoor crop in Sikkim. — This is also the opinion of Mr. Gammie, the resident manager 
“ of the Cinchona plantation.” 
J udging from Dr. King's experience, and from its native habitats, viz : in shady forests 
of South America, lying between 8° and 22° S. hit., the Straits promises a good held for the 
cultivation of this plant. To mark its importance and increasing costliness, I extract the 
following average prices at which the drug was purchased wholesale in London, during 
three periods of 10 years each, from Fliiekiger and Hanbury’s Pharmacographia : — 
10 vears ending 1850. average price 2.$. 9L/. per lb. 
10 ' „ . 1800, „ 06’. ll\d. „ 
10 „ 1870, „ 86*. 8H „ 
Cardamum cultivation promises to become a profitable speculation for small proprietors 
in this Colony. I hope soon to have a stock for distribution. 
A large number of economic and medicinal plants have been introduced, and an 
“ Economic Garden ” will be commenced almost immediately on the ground now occupied 
by the nursery, which will be removed to the back of the hill below the manager’s residence. 
In the new economic ground I shall endeavour to represent, systematically arranged, all 
the plants yielding economic and medicinal products which are amenable to cultivation in 
this climate. This department I venture to hope will in a few years form one of the most 
instructive and interesting features of the Garden. 
A quantity of slate labels, recommended by Dr. Hooker, have been ordered from England. 
As soon as they arrive, the labelling of the trees, shrubs, Ac. will be commenced. From 
dune 30th to November 30th, over 700 baskets of flowers were supplied to subscribers, and 
I cannot forbear again recommending that this practice be stopped or considerably modified, 
as 'the Garden can never present a gay appearance under existing circumstances. A large 
number of plants have also been supplied to the subscribers, and arrangements are now being 
made to meet the constant demands for seeds. 
From June 30th to November 30th, 11 Wardian cases of plants and 10 large boxes of 
epiphytal orchids have been despatched to other botanical establishments. Large quanti- 
ties of seeds and plants have been sent to various establishments in Australia, consisting 
principally of bread-fruit, litchi, rambutan, durian, mangosteen, mango, pepper, clove, nutmeg, 
sapodilla, gamboge, and quassia. A case of gutta percha (lsonandra gutta) has been 
forwarded to Ceylon for trial there. A list of the contributors to the Garden and a list 
of the subscribers are appended. 
It is my unpleasant duty to report many serious infringements of the Rules, not only 
by natives but also by Europeans. The latter on more than one occasion have been detected 
cutting flowers by moonlight. The principal part of the collection of orchidacese, ferns, and 
rare plants have been kept private, as they have often been removed when exposed to the 
public, while as regards orchids the flowers are almost invariably cut. It might be advisable to 
call to the minds of the perpetrators of these thefts that several of the plants now in the 
Garden are quite unique in the Straits Settlements, and it might happen that such a unique 
plant found in tlieir possession might lead to their prosecution to give account from whom 
they received it. 
To Dr. Thwaites, F.E.S., Ac., and his assistant, M. M. Hartog, Esquire, F.L.b.,my thanks 
are due for much valuable assistance and instruction I received from them during my stay 
in Ceylon ; and also to Mr. Niven, the Manager of this Garden, for much valuable assistance in 
its management. 
It seems desirable that the present opportunity should he used to direct attention to the 
timber supply of Singapore. Good timber trees have almost entirely disappeared, and we 
have large tracts of land at present overrun by “lalatig” grass (Imperatia Ksenigii) and 
Elephantopus scaber, the soil of which is too poor for cropping purposes, but well adapted 
to the growbh of such trees as the “ tembesoe ” (Fagraea peregrina), redwood (Gluta velutina), 
beside numerous Calophyllums and Dipterocarpae. Trees of this sort might be planted on 
the sides of future public* roads, instead of the worthless Erythrinas, Ac., now used for similar 
situations. 
The Garden, with the sanction of the Government, could thus be rendered useful to the 
Colony by forming nurseries of valuable timber-producing trees, while many exotic species, 
as ebony, calamauder, teak, and mahogany, Ac*., could be introduced. 
I have, Ac.,’ 
(Signed) H, J. MUKTON, 
Superintendent. 
