Annual Report on the Botanic Gardens, Singapore, 
for the year 1901. 
The Weather. 
The year 1901 was very dry since only 78*36 of rain fell in the Gardens. 
March had the smallest fall 3*93, and June the greatest 9*67. The effect on the 
vegetation was not very marked, although it is usual for a dry year to be a heavy 
seed bearing year. 
Staff. 
The Director went on long leave on March the 17th, on which date 1 took 
over charge of the Department. There were several changes in the staff owing 
to the dismissal of Zain Abdul Rasip, the Chief Mandor of the Economic Garden, 
for carrying on an illicit sale of Para Rubber seeds. This man had for twelve years 
borne an excellent character, and had also acquired a considerable knowledge of 
Economic plants and their uses, and the loss of his services to the Department, at a 
time when it was undermanned, was felt acutely. His place was filled by MoHAMED- 
Hanif, the Mandor from the Upper Gardens, who in turn was replaced by an entirely 
new, and of course untrained, man from outside. This fact emphasizes the long 
felt need of apprentices who could fill the places of trained men who leave the service. 
In connection with the subordinate staff, I am glad to record the sanction by Govern- 
ment of a Scheme for the improvement of their positions, which will result, I hope, in 
making them as a body contented, and promote the interests of themselves and the 
Department. 
2. The coolies have on the whole worked fairly well, but, as reported last 
year, the class of labour is not what it used to be ; the fact is that the coolies, as soon 
as they have picked up a smattering of Malay and the rudiments of their work, leave 
the Gardens for private employment or to labour on Public Works, with the result 
that the work of the Gardens has to be carried on with quite untrained men. There 
has been an unusual number of Beri-beri cases amongst them, no less than 29 cases 
having occurred, generally of a mild character. Three cases were however fatal. In 
May the number of cases were so numerous, and in one or two cases so serious, 
that I reported the matter to the Principal Civil Medical Officer who had the Coolie 
Lines disinfected, and gave general instructions as to treatment. 
Visitors. 
3. The number of Visitors was about the same as in the previous year, when the 
number was abnormal owing to the many Mail passengers who visited the Gardens. 
Several eminent men of science, chiefly Germans and Americans, also visited the 
Gardens, in several cases staying for some months studying questions of Economic 
Botany. 
4 . The Regimental Bands played in the Gardens from time to time, attracting 
enormous.crowds of people, especially on the occasion when the massed bands of the 
3rd, 13th, and 16th Regiments of Madras Infantry gave a performance in November... 
5. It will be a question in the near future whether the Gardens, or at least that 
portion round the Band-Stand, are not too small to accommodate such large numbers 
of people. 
Aviaries. 
6. The aviaries and animal enclosures have for some time required overhauling; 
the latter are, I regret to say, practically beyond repair. In the early part of the year 
the Public Works Department prepared a series of plans of enclosures for the better 
accommodation of the animals. The buildings thus designed would have placed the 
Zoological Department in a very efficient state, but the scheme was thrown out by 
the Legislative Council, and Government gave orders for the disposal of all the larger 
animals. 
7. The following additions were made to the collection during the year: — Two 
Wa-Was (Hylolbates lar.) presented by Miss Edith Abrams, One Javanese squirrel 
