4 
of the office building have done some damage to unbound volumes — wherefore 
the expanded metal doors ; and as newly bound books receive a brushing over with 
corrosive sublimate and then a coat of varnish it is hoped to restrict their depredations. 
A slip catalogue of the books will be made as soon as possible : but because in the 
making of it missing parts may be revealed, action tosvards completing the series of 
journals taken-in has been deferred. 
The gift of books and papers by the following is acknowledged : — -Messrs. H, N. 
Ridley, J. S. Gamble, Felicien Michotte, J. H. Maiden, Sander & Sons, and 
His Belgian Majesty’s Consul in Singapore. Many papers have been received through 
the editor of the “Gardens’ Bulletin” by way of exchange. 
The office records have been arranged and the administrative papers made up 
into files by subjects. Further arranging or destroying of accumulated letters regard- 
ing plants is yet to be done. 
The despatches of letters during 1913' were 2,393 and the receipts 2,225. 
During the year, the Potash Syndicate through Messrs. Behn, Meyer & Co., 
approached the Gardens with the offer of manures, if an experiment could be done 
with them, which offer was gladly accepted ; and the live and nine-year old rubber 
trees in the Economic Garden were treated in different ways. The results will be 
made public in the “ Gardens’ Bulletin.” 
One-twentieth of an acre was given up to an experiment with H edychium coro- 
nariuni'. but it showed no such vigour as would make it worth growing for paper 
stuff. 
A small plot of Dioscorea aculeata was grown and gave sufficient promise for the 
experiment to be continued. 
The rubber-tapping has been continued on the old lines as a matter of temporary 
convenience, because the whole records had to be gone through in order to ascertain 
whether any value remained in the complicated arrangement which the first experi- 
ments rendered necessary. Believing now that there is none, a complete break will 
be made ; and the first work will be the selection of the b .st seed parents. 
The continuous tapping of the large tree in the Penang Gardens has been brought 
to a conclusion. 
Beyond the limits of the Gardens, experiments have been made on the removal 
of coconut stumps and trunks by means of explosives. 
The authority of the department was twice called in to certify plants for export 
free from dangerous disease : and on sixteen occasions evidence was given in bhang 
cases in the Police Courts. 
A few observations on orchids were published in the “ Gardens’ Bulletin.” In the 
same place is now recorded the rainfall in both Gardens: the Singapore records are 
read in a gauge placed near the Director’s house;, while the Penang records are those 
read by the Municipality at the head of the Waterfall Gardens, which are kindly 
placed at the disposal of the department. 
Botanic Garden, Singapore. 
At the full-moon of almost every month throughout the year there has been a 
concert in the Gardens. In January the band of the East Kent Regiment played ; 
subsequently that of the King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry played by the kind 
permission of Lieut. -Colonel A. G. Marrable and the officers of the Regiment. The 
bugles of the same Regiment frequently played for the children in the afternoon. 
Towards the beginning of the year the Gardens Committee had an arrangement 
whereby the band of the 3rd Brahmans was to play in the Gardens on the first 
Monday of the month at 5 p. M. : but almost immediately private individuals came 
forward with funds for employing a band on every Monday afternoon ; and after that 
the bands of the two regiments more or less took turns, assisted twice by the Associated 
Scottish Pipers of Malaya, and replaced twice by other bands. 
The Chief Police Officer, Singapore, framed excellent rules for the ordering of 
traffic on these occasions, which were enforced. For the purpose of the rules it was 
necessary to name and label some of the roads in the Gardens, and directive names 
were selected such as “Main Gate Road,” “ Office Gate Road,” “ Ring Road,” which 
help the visitor in finding his way : where these could not be used the names were 
taken from the nature of the vegetation along the roads such as “ Liane Road” and 
“ Maranta Avenue.” 
Since the coming of the motor car, the wear and tear on the Gardens’ roads has 
increased considerably, and also their use at night. No record is kept of day visitors ; 
