9 
Forest Watchmen. 
3. The same' number of Forest Corporals, Lance-Corporals and Watchmen was 
employed this year as last, viz., 23 in all. All worked well, and no complaints were 
made against them. Khaki uniforms were supplied this year, in place of the blue serge 
suits last year, as the latter proved less satisfactory for jungle work. The distribu- 
tion of the men is as follows : — For the Bukit Timah, Bukit Panjang, East Bukit Timah. 
Choa Chu Kang, Jurong, Pandan and Upper Tanglin reserves there are r Forest 
Corporal and five Watchmen. At Kranji and Sungei Buloh there are 1 Lance-Cor- 
poral and two Watchmen. At Bukit Mandai and Sumbawang 1 Lance-Corporal and 
two Watchmen. At Chan Chu Kang, Ang Mo Kio and Selitar one Lance-Corporal 
and four Watchmen. At Changi and Bedok one Lance-Corporal and two Watchmen. 
At Toas and Murai one Lance Corporal and two Watchmen. 
Buildings. 
o 
4. Two new forest stations have been built — one at Chan Chu Kang and one at 
Kranji — with brick pillars and ballow posts, at a cost of $253.90 each. 
Farming Encroachments . 
5. Two pepper encroachments in the Forest Reserves at Upper Mandai were 
' given out on lease for one year for $40, and one at Jurong was let for $10. An en- 
croachment of gambir at Sumbawang was- let for $25, making a total revenue of $75. 
The plants on these encroachments are now nearly effete and will soon cease to 
be leased. Meanwhile the trees of India rubber, and Renghas, planted among the 
crops, have taken good hold and are growing ’steadily and well. 
Planting. 
6. The work of planting waste land with valuable trees goes on as fast as 
possible, but it is not easy to get seeds of the more valuable trees in sufficient quan- 
tity for, covering very large tracts. 
Para Rubber (Hevea braziliensis , Spruce) seeds were obtained from Kew and 
from the trees in the Experimental Garden, and a large number of plants raised. 
Eight acres of this valuable India rubber tree have been planted this year at Sumba- 
wang, and the trees are thriving remarkably well. Rubber collected from the trees 
in. the Experimental Garden was pronounced by Messrs. Silver to be of very good 
qualffy. Fast as this plant grows, it will be nearly ten years before it is at the best 
stage for tapping. More seed is urgently required. 
The Renghas plants ( Glut a Renghas) raised from seed obtained from Pahang, 
are also growing with great vigour. Two. acres have been planted at Jurong. The 
two-year old plants at Chan Chu Kang and Upper Mandai are now many of them 
over six feet tall. 
> This plant produces a very fine mahogany -like timber, but unfortunately it is 
disliked by' the cutters on account of the poisonous character of the black varnish 
which exudes from it. The Malays give the name of Renghas to several trees all 
of the same family ; of these the best timber tree Is apparently the Melamzorhcea, 
Curtisr, and M. Wallichi. The latter species occurs in Singapore, but is now very 
scarce. The former is a native of Penang. 
All possess the poisonous properties of the Gluta , w T hich is a. great objection to 
them, but it seems that by no means all persons who deal with these trees are 
affected by them. In moving and planting the hundreds of Gluta seedlings here, 
there has only been one case of Gluta poisoning 'among the coolies. 
In; the Upper Mandai encroachments nabout five acres of various trees have 
been planted and all are doing well. Among them are Sterculia elata, Pitheco- 
lobiums, Inga Saman, Jack (A r toe dr pus iniegrifolia), Glam ( Melaleuca leucadendron ), 
Broad-fpaved Mahogany [Swie tenia macrophylla ). The Jack suffers much from the 
ravage^ of plandoks (mouse deer), which are very fond of its leaves. 
A I quantity of cuttings of the Male Bamboo {. Dendrocalamus strictus), were 
taken firom plants in the gardens and have been planted at Sumbawang ; they are 
doing very well. More are being struck, and it is hoped eventually to be able to 
supply -fb. ' J en]s for lance : handles in quantity. A number oL seeds of the Bilian 
tree (Etisiderb'Y't'lon Scl-i^ageri,- Teysm ) were obtained from Borneo, and having 
been planted a fair proportion germinated. Hitherto there has been some difficulty 
with this invaluable timber tree, but it was found 'that the seeds germinated better, 
simply put -a little way beneath the sail, and with the hard shell net cracked or 
split as had been tried previously. It is, however, not easy to procure the seed o r 
this plant in quantity. I hope, however, to be able to obtain a further supply f r 
Sandakan* where it is said to be plentiful. 
.h ■ > ' , T 
1 
