STRAITS SETTLEMENTS. 
Paper to be laid before the Legislative Council by Command 
of His Excellency the Governor. 
, i * • 
Annual Report on the Botanical and Zoological Gardens, Singapore, for 1881. 
The S, . peel nte,,, lent of the •"*<« »•»•»«’»* 
to the Hon'bht the Colonial Secretary. 
[No. 5.] 
Botanical Gardens, 
Singapore , 30U January , 1882. 
Sm, — As arranged, the Acting Superintendent has handed me a 
Report on operations carried out in the Botanical Gardens during 10 
year 1881, and an abstract of the expenditure of the preceding year, to he 
forwarded to von for the information of His Excellency the Governor, 
and I have the honour to forward it herewith as received according \ . 
2. I have also the honour to forward at your suggestion, a short 
account of my doings while on leave of absence in England. 
I have, &c., 
N. CANTLEY, 
Superintendent. 
* 
Annual Report on tlie Botanical and Zoological Gardens, Singapore, for 1881. 
] Durino- tlie past year the department lias had to contend with a 
serious disadvantage by the unavoidable absence of the Superintendent, 
who was invalided home in the early part oi March last _ this is more 
particularly to be regretted, because previous to his arrival m November, 
1880 the Gardens hail, for some time, been worked single-handed. J lie 
initiatory chan ges, however, planned out by the Superintendent during 
his Brief administration, have, as far as circumstances permitted, been 
carried out, and will subsequently he noticed under their respective heads. 
2. The year under review lias not been characterised by any 
extreme meteorological phenomena, with the exception oi a tew weeks 
drought in the month of June, which, happily, was not of a sufficiently 
lone 'duration to cause much harm to the health oi planted out specimens. 
It, however, was the cause of some anxiety at the time, and increased 
labour was necessary in systematic and copious watering. TV ith this 
' exception, the amount of rainfall has been very evenly distributed. 
8. The general neat appearance of the Gardens has been maintained 
in a very satisfactory manner, due. in a great measure; to the increased 
attention paid to the lawns and walks, the former requiring the constant 
attention of six. men cutting grass. 
4. As usual, the white ants continue to be destructive to the planted 
out specimens, several of the larger ones having fallen preys to their 
ravages, notably, three of the tall Norfolkjsland .Pine, -‘Araucaria excelsa ,” 
