V 
. / . 
■vy '•■• i 
, 
■A 
■ 
STRAITS SETTLEMENTS. 
Paper laid before tlie Legislative Council by command of 
11 is Excellency tin 1 ( rover nor. 
TUESDAY, 16th APRIL, 1S?8. 
x 
- • 
IJOTX.YU'VT, ANJ) ZoohOUH.'AL G.VKDENS. 
Sinijapo/'/\ liS/// February, ]87s. 
Snt I lui\e iiifc honor lu .submit to you my annual report on the condition and working 
of the Boianical. and Zoological -gardens during' the year ,ls77. 
General apyt aeance. It is with great pleasure.* that I. feel justified in reporting the 
improved general appearance of the gardens, notwithstanding that the year has not been a 
propitious one for gardening operations generally, in consequence of the severe drought 
which we experienced during the latter parr of vhe year, which caused the deaths, among 
others, of some line specimens of Dacrydium llorstieldii which had Loon transplanted during 
the latter months of 1876, and which unfortunately had not become sufficiently, well 
established to resist the effects of such a prolonged drought. 
Walks and JJrims . — These have been very much improved during the year at consider- 
able expense. The main drive from the band-stand to the principal entrance past the lake 
has been entirely re-made, and 6 1o $ inches of laterit.e put on it, as also have the drives 
leading in Ciuny road, and the one loading past the Superintendent's office. 
The roads, leading to Regie, to Garden road, .and from the centre of the garden to l lie 
principal entrance, have been slightly repaired, hut these will probably require re-making 
during the present year. 
A new walk has been .made between tin; Aviary and t he kangaroo pens, and three new 
walks have been made to the new monkey -house. 
A. drive between the office and Ciuny road has been dug up and turfed over, which has 
much iniproved this part of the garden. 
The drives after re-uietalling were covered with while sand, which, although causing 
more glare than the red soil during sunshine, lias a much more pleasing appearance at the 
time when visitors usually ITe.quent the gardens. 
Drains ~~ A complete system of surface and underground drainage has ' now been 
established; and but little more remains to be done to complete it. 
Side drains built of brick have been made on each side of the principal drives and 
walks, which it would be needless to <* turn crate here. One side of the road leading over the 
hill to the principal entrance, both sides of the road leading from the band-stand to the 
border, and to Garden road are the only ones requiringyt now. 
Underground drains have been made in. various parts of the garden where they were 
necessary. 
Flou-er f A-.r-Verv gre*'' alterations have been carried out with these, which will, 
doubtless-sere 1 * awov*. * , no improvements, as it. was found to be almost .impossible to keep 
such a huge mV t beds in all parts of i he garden clean and ornamental with the present 
number of ..coo 1 the plants laid become old and unsightly, consequently many have 
bfeen dug uphu is turfed over. 
The 1 ypou the u*. -Lstand have been removed for tin* purpose of giving more spare 
on band- outings and the boiv ” around has been removed, thus adding 8 feet to the drive. 
cp.b' beds ne-i* the principal entrance have till been, turfed over, those on the lull abo\c 
be erection of the new monkey -house, and those on the left of the road 
dad hav#ogiven place to a palm clump. 
e temicUoelow the band-stand are now being trenched and re-planted, 
id become unsightly, and ga\.e the place a weedy and neglected appear- 
ed around the Orchid house have been very gay during the year, and 
, a doubt the superiority of sfuall over large beds in the tropics for 
» ; as ir this climate where vegetation grows so fast, flowering plants 
v appearance unless they are often renewed and constantly attended to, 
iqwv annuals as Lals’ams, Zinnias, Coreopsis and Phlox Drimnnondii may 
small beds, whereas they would be lost in large ones, and although theirp 
beauty is >'i u*t juration. they are so gay while they last that they amply re-pay any 
little additional ittentiou and trouble in sowing, Arc. 
During the drv season Crossandra infundibttlifunnis was especially showy and quite 
equalled some of the Zonal Pelargoniums used for ribbon bedding in England. I have also 
found Oyrtantbera Pohiiana and its Variety superha, the latter by far the best — JLisselia 
juneeu, feranthemum bicolor variegata, Angelonia floribunda, Sericographis Glricsbregtiana. 
I rest ne llerbstii Tradcseautia zebnua T discolor. A Itcwiantheras and various «pp. of Cohu. 
also be 
V 
