4 
mischievous person set fire to a clump of Raphia palms by means of an acetylene 
torch, apparently thrown from the Cluny Road : and at the end of the long drought a 
Municipal cooly, burning leaves near the Tyersall gate, carelessly set fire to the 
Gardens' fence, destroying among other plants a large Grammatophyllum. 
Six petty thefts were detected, but none of them important enough to prosecute. 
Owing to the unusually warm dry weather, there was a prodigal flowering of 
some plants: the Tembusu trees were yet more profusely covered with flowers than 
usual: and Gram matophy 11 urns flowered very freely. 
Clerodendron fallax has proved a good bedding-out plant. Melaleuca hyperici - 
folia , stated a year ago to be a success, will not bed out: it is still growing in a pot, 
but the statement of the last report must be modified. The Nymphaeas in the lake 
continue to do very well: the success with them may be attributed largely to the 
keeping of the water cleaner. Acer heterophylla, obtained from Mr. L. G. Regnard, 
Mauritius, promises to do well. Hedychiums obtained from Kew in 1913 will shortly 
flower. Hybrid Nelumbiums have been obtained from Messrs. Dreer of Philadelphia. 
Dipladenia amabilis has been obtained from Mr. H. C. Barnard, Kuala Lumpur, A 
collection of orchids has been acquired from Messrs. Sander and Sons, partly by 
exchange and partly by purchase. Cypripediums have been obtained from Com- 
mander Dery of Bangkok by exchange. And from Kew the Assistant Curator was 
allowed to bring back a very welcome assortment of tuberous and bulbous plants. 
Messrs. St. V. B. Down (orchids and coconuts), F. J. Hallifax (orchid) and 
H. Overbeck ( Amorphophallus Rex), very kindly gave plants to the Gardens. Plants 
were received by exchange from Messrs. M. Herb, Naples; L. G. Regnard, 
Mauritius; and M. Buysmann, Java, and also from the Department of Agriculture, 
Mauritius, the Superintendent of Forestry, Taihoku, Formosa, and the Superintendent 
of Plantations, Thaiping. 
Two thousand two hundred and thirty-nine plants were sent out, and 253 packets 
of seed. Ornamental shrubs in some quantity, were supplied to the Pearls Plill 
School, Singapore, and to the European Hospital, Malacca. 
Economic Garden. 
The Economic Garden has three natural divisions: there is the low ground, the 
slopes, and the hill-top. The second is planted as an Arboretum: the other two are 
intended to be used entirely in blocks for special cultivation. Taking the low land in 
hand, Mr. Bradbery commenced the division of it into blocks of which there are 
fifteen. Six of these blocks are given over wholly to rubber, and from some of them 
the cutting out of intermixed trees, commenced in 1913, had to be continued. 
Tapping which had been stopped on March 14th, in view of the change foreshadowed 
in the last report, was recommenced by blocks on May 26th. 
The drought caused extra work in watering young plants. 
Into Block 11 the collections of pineapples and pisangs were transplanted. Both 
had had bad situations; and among the pisangs many races have been lost. A large 
part of Block 12 was planted up with Tembusu that a supply of kassows and later of 
timber may be got. 
A few beds in the nursery were planted up with all the local races of sugar cane. 
In the same place two races of Passiflora foetida are being studied, the growth of 
mulberry bushes and of Dolichos Hosei , a new cover crop-grown investigated. It has 
proved easy there to raise Cymbopogon Martini — the Palma-Rosa oil grass from seed 
obtained from Calcutta: but it is very hard to transplant it. Young plants of Erio- 
botrya japonica — the loquat — are at present growing well. 
The experimental cultivation of Hedychium coronanum has been continued, but 
promises nothing on the soil of the Economic Garden in the sun. 
The study of yams continues: and a report will appear in the Gardens' 
Bulletin. Several edible tubers have been received from Mr. C. E. F. Allen, Curator 
of the Gardens, Port Darwin, notably the Asclepiad Macrostemma tuberosum , Dioscorea 
alata } and an Amorphophallus near, if not, campanulatus. Tubers of Dioscorea 
bulbifera , var. suavior, have been received from Mr. MaNSON Bailey, Government 
Botanist, Queensland, and of several species from Professor C. F. Baker, Los Banos, 
Philippine Islands, the Department of Agriculture, and Mr. E. D. MERRILL, Govern- 
ment Botanist, Manila. 
From Garden seed, the foreman-gardener by patience raised a stock of the 
Brazil-nut tree, which can now be sold to the public. 
