3 
although orders were received for rubber seed to the value of $1,280, there was a 
grudging crop which yielded only $471, thus curtailing the revenue from economic 
plants and seeds; and in the third place the public asked for fewer ornamental plants, 
than in the preceeding years. The net revenue was $1,667 short of that obtained in 
1916, and $2,463 short of that obtained in 1915. 
Three facts may be stated here: (1) that the Open vote for the upkeep of the 
Botanic Garden has not differed by much from $8,000 for thirty years, the additional 
expenditure upon it being met by the revenue from the Economic Garden ; (2) that 
prices have been enhanced greatly during these years, but in the Rubber boom 
when this in the first instance markedly took place the Gardens were carried on the 
crest of the wave of prosperity by the high price of their rubber and by their partial 
monopoly of rubber seed; (3) that since then the value of rubber and rubber seed has 
fallen while prices have risen further, latterly rapidly, causing the revenue, which in 
1911 and in 1912 covered 57 per cent of the whole of the Committee’s expenses, from 
1913 forwards to cover only 39 to 47 per cent. The result has been that less and less 
money has been available for labour in proportion to the combination of rising prices 
and falling revenue; the labour, for instance, employed in the Botanic Garden in the 
last four years, i. e n from 1914 forward, has cost successively $6,392, $5,428, $5,163, 
and $5,079. 
B. Waterfall Gardens , Penang . — The position of the new Committee of 
Management for the Waterfall Gardens on January 1st, 1918, was 
in the Bank and in hand $1,397 3 6 
outstanding debts 35 90 
Total ... $1,433 2 6 
The revenue realised during r 9 1 7 from the sale of plants — almost all ornamental — ■ 
was $1,125.62, being an increase of 80 per cent, and largely due to Mr. LAWRIE 
C. Brown’s enthusiastic advocacy of_gardening. 
The Government grant met the wage bill and half of the expenditure on tools 
and various services; the Committee’s funds met the rest. 
Buildings. 
Singapore . — The building of quarters for fourteen married Javanese was to have 
been commenced; but it so fell out that no contracts could be closed. The building 
of the Field Assistant’s quarters was also to have been done and was not commenced 
for the same reason. The roof of the large Plant House went unrepaired from 
want of funds. 
The Gardens Committee at a cost of $1,200 repaired the central building of the 
Javanese lines, and with the old iron bear cages constructed an orchid-house for such 
species as need more air than the propagating yard affords. 
The upper tank in the Dell gave way and was repaired. 
Penang.-— Petty repairs only were asked for. 
Collections, Records and Investigations. 
Acquisitions include plants or seeds by gift or exchange from — Mrs. R. H. 
Adams, Messrs. A. Agnew and J. W. Anderson, Professor C. F. Baker, Mr. 
Lavvrie C. Brown, Miss A. M. Burkill. Mrs. H. B. Dodds, Mr. St. V. B. Down, 
the Hon’ble Mr. F. M. Elliot, Messrs. R. J. Farrer, W. Harris, W. E. Hooper, 
J. S. Isaac, V. LuNberg, T. R. Manus, C. G. May, E. D. ^errtll, W. S. Millard, 
G. P. Owen, F. O. Popenoe, L. G. Regnard, and H. N. Ridley, Professor J.F. Rock, 
Messrs. B. K. Saheb, G. C. Valpy, and J. B. van Waverer, H. H. the Lieutenant 
Governor of Papua, the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kevv, Calcutta, and Peradeniya, the 
Botanic Gardens, Buitenzorg, the Zoological Gardens, Perth, W. Australia, through 
the Hon’ble Mr. W. KlNGSMlLL, the Departments of Agriculture, Federated Malay 
States, India, Egypt, United States of America, and Costa Rica, the Superintendent 
of Public Gardens, Jamaica, the College of Agriculture, Los Banos, Philippine Islands, 
Messrs. Barr & SONS and Messrs. Dreer & Co. The number of plants and seeds 
received from all sources in Singapore was 4,307 pl an f s an d 975 packets of seeds, 
and in Penang 715 plants and 130 packets Of seeds. 
