f 
STRAITS SETTLEMENTS. 
Panel- laid before the Legislative Council by command of 
His Excellency the Governor. 
Botanical Gardens, 
Singapore, 7 th April , 1S70. 
8nl _i l, ave the honor to forward licrewitljal.y Annual Report for 1878, on the workinj 
of this establishment. j lmye &c 
To 
The lion bit Cecil C. 
Chairman of the Garden* Committee, 
Singapore. 
(Signed) H. J. MURTOX, 
Superintendent. 
REPO R T. 
pneral Sng’ed 
apa remand Necessitated 7 greater ' number of men 
causing a good deal of extra labour '“^wh’ 'idamed trees and shrubs to make rapid and 
t ..£ £sua - <»» u» .» 
^The white ants have caused the death of some fine specimens of Conifer*, for which 
class they seem to have a great- predilection. v \ Bklwillii 
^ large specimen of Dammam orientals, one of Araucaria Cookn, oncotA. JiuOMim, 
and one of Daerydinm Horsfieldii have fallen preys to then- ravages 
MI attempts to stop their progress by mem* of applications of huosem and 0 a» tai, 
uuautities not sufficient to kill the trees, proved useless. .. ■, a.-strov.-.i 
Moreover, the roots and all the vital action of the plant • gi .. IK » 1 ; t 
below t lie' surface; before, any signs of tailing or decay is belt*} id m '‘ mi l - 
t'oUage. i(enerallv heldj , heUefe . umui ^ fhl . majority of Indian horticulturists that the 
attacks of white ants on trees are attendant on, rather than the cause ot, du av . bill alto 
three years of careful investigation, I have arrived at the conclusion that the latter is the 
true state of the ease. , _ /rx * * x * i ■ v „ ,1 • „ 
Most of the large specimens of the Funeral Cypress (Cupressus tunehr.s) are showing 
signs of decav. although I have had them well manured I opine that their decay is to be 
attributed to their roots having penetrated into the cold, clay-subsoil, which has not been 
improved by the continued wet weather, n , 
The line of Araucaria Cunningliamn, planted in lSv i on the Bide or the Garden.'' 
a « mi list Chmv Hoad, has made very great progress, and many are already 20 feet 
Pio'h and very symmetrical ; and the clump of young palms near the Nympkea pond are 
beginning to ‘throw out abundance of fine fronds, as also are the plants of Li vision a oil tlie 
side of the.road past the office. 
Most of the trees that were planted last year around the monkey 'house have gromi 
very well, and Ficus (Artocarpus) Caimonii promises to develop into one of the' most 
beautiful -trees far ornamental planting that we have, its large brown metallic foliage 
contrasting fiiielv with the vivid green of the other trees. 
Hoad* and ’Walks .- —The heavy rains have tried these severely, but most ot them have 
bee.-: kept in fairly good order bv constant attention and repairing ; but one or two urgently 
need re-making. ‘The drive over the hill to the principal entrance has been re-made and 
metalled. 
Drains. These also have been kept in fairly good condition by regular attendance and 
repairs when necessary. Several additional ones have been made and others enlarged, where 
they were found to be too small for the purpose they had to serve. 
Fence*. — These have been kept in very good order throughout the year. As a change 
to the bamboo, I have made some of the “ shoe-flower” (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis) which promise 
* 
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