Department As separate Reports have been submitted on this matter it will be suffici- 
ent to say briefly that it is admitted to have been biggest and most successful Show 
ever seen m the Straits Settlements. The fact that, there were 1541 Exhibitors and 
no less than 20,000 exhibits shown will give some idea of the amount of work 
thrown on myself as Honorary General Secretary in particular and this Department in 
general. Indeed it not too much to say that more than half my time of the year under 
review was taken up by work in connection with the Show. 
18. In July, I reported on a Scheme tor re-afforesting the catchment area supplv- 
ing the Bukit Mertajam reservoir and submitted an Estimate of cost for carrying "it 
out. This has received the sanction of the Government and the work will be started 
early in 1906. 
The Municipality were engaged for some weeks fitting a Venturi water Meter 
on the 24 main pipe in the Gardens and connecting it with an automatic recorder which 
was placed in a small building erected to receive it at the back of the Garden’s Office. 
The necessary openings to get at the main have been screened by suitable plants. 
Expenditure. 
19. I he total amount of Government Grants under the heading of Botanic Gar- 
dens amounted to $7,600 of which $7,420.98 was expended, particulars of which are 
given in Appendix C . 
W. FOX, 
Supt , of Botanic Gardens. 
