12 
and borders has been maintained by manuring, top dressing and replanting where 
necessary. The exchanges of plants and seeds with other Establishments were as 
usual and plants and seeds to the value of $854.35 were sold during the year. These 
were of the usual decorative character. 
Upkeep of Buildings, Etc. 
3. No new buildings were erected during the year, but repairs were effected in 
covering the octagonal Plant House with Nibong laths. This was absolutely necessary as 
the old wooden laths had become quite rotten. The large iron Plant House was fitted 
with a new set of Bertam Chicks and several of the smaller plant sheds and the 
Summer House were re-roofed with attaps. Probably more would have been done 
had we known definitely whether or not the Gardens will be required for a storage 
reservoir. What has been said in the three last reports on this head applies witii 
more force as time goes on. Each year adds to the difficulty of moving the contents of 
the Gardens should it ever become necessary to do so, so that I trust ere long we shall 
know definitely what is going to be done. The question of quarters for the Overseer 
and coolies has become a serious one. Not pnly is the small attap building at the Chetty 
Temple Nursery far too small to accommodate one-third of the coolies, but it is iii 
a ruinous state of decay and has' had to be patched up and strengthened to prevent 
it falling down. This, as hardly needs pointing out, acts prejudicially on the health 
of the men when suffering from fever as they so often do. 
Herbarium and X-ibrary. 
4. In June 1 paid a short visit to Kedah and collected some Herbarium specimens 
at Gunong Grenong, a hill of about a thousand feet elevation, the interior of which is a 
vast cave. In December l paid a visit to the Langkawis and obtained some Cypripe- 
diums and other, plants for our collections. I regret I was unable to visit the Island 
of Terutau as I had no steam launch at my disposal. I was therefore unable to get 
the very singular Balsam, Irnpatiens Mirabilis, which grows there, and which is such a 
desideratum for Kew, and for Sir Joseph HOOKER who is engaged on a monograph of 
the genus. The Director of Gardens, who is working up the Palms for the “ Materials 
for a Flora of the Malay Peninsula, " had the loan of specimens of Daemonorops 
and Calami, whilst to Sir GEORGE King who is elaborating the higher orders at Kew 
no less than 607 sheets of .specimens were loaned comprising 12 natural orders from 
Compositae to Verbenaeeae. 
Governor’s Hill Bungalow Gardens. 
5. These gardens have been kept in better order than hitherto owing to a slightly 
increased vote.' Some Japanese plants have been introduced and are doing well 
especially Ilemerocallis which flowers very freely. Some new roses have also been 
planted out and are doing well. Sergeant Wells, the Signal Director, was in charge 
until November when he was promoted, and was replaced by Mr. SUTHERLAND. 
Economic Plants. 
6. The Para Rubber tree mentioned in previous Rep >rts was again tapped on 14 
occasions beginning on the 28th July and ending on the 6th September. As will be 
seen from the annexed table A the returns varied from 1 oz. the minimum, to 13^ ozs. 
the maximum. The idea .was to tap on alternate days but owing to heavy rain this 
was not always practicable. The total amount obtained was 5 lbs. of wet Rubber which 
weighed 3 fbs. 14 ozs. when dry, thus raising the grand total from this tree to 26Tbs. 
13 ozs. of fairly dry rubber for the nine consecutive years that it has been tapped. 
This gives close on an average of 3 Tbs. per year, a magnificent result with rubber at 
its present price of say 5 shillings ancl sixpence per lb. The extraordinary high price 
obtained for Straits Rubber has induced the Forest Department in Lower Burmah to 
take up its cultivation and 100,000 seeds were supplied to them during the year 
through this department. As far as can be seen at present it seems impossible to 
overstock the market for years to come ; so great is the demand for rubber for 
almost every conceivable purpose. 
Gutta Ferclia. 
7. The Gutta Percha trees in the Waterfall Valley fruited in August. Between 
2,000 and 3,000 plants were raised which will be planted in the Forest Reserve at Batu 
Feringgi, Not a single enquiry for Ramie was received during the year. 
Cotton. 
8. The experiments during the year with Egyptian and Sea Island varieties of 
Cotton must be considered as having established the fact that in the cultivation of 
Cotton the Straits Settlements cannot compete with other Cotton-growing countries. 
This is especially so with the Egyptian variety. 
The plant grows fairly well, but the impossibility of protecting it from rain when 
the pods are ripening will prevent it from ever becoming a staple crop. Reports 
