STRAITS SETTLEMENTS GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, JUNE 27, 1831. 733 
GOVERNMENT NOTIFICATION — N o. “ 
The following Annual Report on the Botanic Gardens, Singapore, 
for the year 1883, is published for general information. 
By His Excellency’s Command, 
A. M. SKINNER, 
Acting Colonial Secretary , 
Colonial Secretary’s Oepice, 
Singapore, 2 6th June , 1884. 
Annual Report on the Botanic Gardens, Singapore, for the year 1883. 
The year has seen considerable progress made towards the comple- 
tion of the extensive improvements begun last year, and the commence- 
ment and completion of others as detailed below. 
2. — Visitors. — The number of visitors to the Gardens during the 
year has not been ascertained. The number of entrances to the Gardens 
are too numerous to make any attempt at counting the number of visitors 
and carriages practicable. 
3. - — Buildings. — The permanent buildings connected with the Gar- 
dens are in good repair. A new house for the Chinese labourers was 
erected during the year, on Crown land adjoining the Gardens, at a cost of 
$58.50. 
4— Construction of Exhibition House. — The construction of the 
Exhibition House, commenced last year, has been completed, with the 
exception of the roof, which will be undertaken by the Public Works 
Department. The work of the year chiefly comprises the levelling of 
the surrounding ground and covering the staging with Chinese tiles laid 
in with cement. Cost, $547. The expenditure on construction last year was 
$617, which makes the total cost of construction, so far as the work falls 
to the share of the Botanic Gardens Department, $1,164. For details,, 
the size and use of the house, see last year’s report. 
5.— IE negation Piant-House.—The under line of staging in this 
house has been removed and laid down in tiles, as it was found that white 
ants attacked strongly the lower planks. This permanent improvement 
cost $35, and I look forward to having all the staging some day done in 
this manner, and the wood-work, which requires considerable up-keep, 
done away with. 
fhe trees planted along the centre of the staging have grown 
remarkably well, and have fully realised what was expected of them. 
1 ■ Orchid collection, which now numbers some thousands, has 
so encroached on this house as almost to exclude every other kind, and 
it seems plain that, if the house is not to be given up to Orchids al- 
together, hut retained for its original purpose as a propagation house, 
new quarters tor the Orchids will have to be found. 
S ~ A suitable and convenient position for a house of this kind 
{ Orchid House ) could be placed mid-way between the Exhibition House 
and Iropagation House, with which it would form an interesting con- 
