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i ■ 
14. India Rubbers . — The Central American “ Castilloa elastica” 
and the Panama “Hevea brasiliensis ” have baffled all attempts to strike 
by cuttings. It is the more remarkable that precisely the same manner 
and treatment was observed as practised so successfully at Kew. Out of 
six trials, only one of the first- named species struck; this piece was taken 
from the base of the trunk with a piece of the old bark. Cuttings being 
so unsuccessful, it was resolved not to retard the trees by further cutting, 
but by encouraging them to grow quickly, and look forward to the pro- 
duction of seed. The tallest "Castilloa” is now about. 30 feet high, and 
measures 24 inches at the base; while the tallest “Hevea” is 25 feet 
high and 14 inches round the base. *» 
O 
15. Ceara Scrap Rubber “ Manihot Giaziooii." — The late Superin- 
tendent mentioned, in his lie port for 1878, his belief that the climate of 
Singapore was too wet to be suitable for this rubber. Plants, however, 
raised from seed sent from Ceylon are growing well, the tallest being 
four feet high; the seeds germinated in August last. 
10. Gutta Perch a. — These plants grow exceedingly slowly, and are, 
moreover, unfortunately visited by some night dying insect which punc- 
tures the leaves, giving them the appearance of having been riddled with 
shot; all attempts to catch the insects have been unavailing. 
17. Cacao. — In common with Ceylon and several other Colonial 
Botanical establishments, we have been supplied with some seedling 
varieties of the best kinds of the Cacao grown in Trinidad. A Wardian 
case containing 24 plants arrived here from Ceylon in March last; of 
these, 3 were dead and 4 doubtful ; 12 have altogether died, leaving just 
half, which are growing well, and the time for their fruiting is anxiously 
awaited by the local planters. 
18. liberum Coffee. — Little has been done in the way of distribu- 
tion, it being so t hor ought v established. The few seeds we have had 
O O o 
ripened have found ready customers. 
19. Ipecacuanha. — These plants, which had hitherto been 'grown in 
partial shade under some trees in the economic grounds, were lifted and 
placed in pots, the change evidently being highly beneficial to them, for 
from the diminutive and starved appearance, they have developed into 
nice little shrubby plants. As most people complain of their slow 
growth when planted in the ground, it might be found advantageous for 
planters to try them in pots ; the cost could be considerably reduced by 
making the pots themselves. 
20. Forest Nursery. — During the year a forest nursery has been 
formed in connection with the Botanical Gardens, which is intended 
ultimately to be the base of a series of similar nurseries throughout the 
Settlements. As, however, the question of Forest Administration is at 
present under consideration, it will only be necessary here to state that, 
since the formation of the present nursery, the work of collecting seeds 
and plants has been actively carried on, so much so that upwards of thirty 
thousand seedlings (chiefly timber trees) have been pricked off. Of these, 
about thirteen thousand are Teak (“ Tectona grandis”), the seeds of which 
were received from the Conservator of Forests, Pegu Circle, British Bur- 
mah, through the Hon’ble the Colonial Secretary, Straits Settlements. 
The seeds were immediately sown in narrow beds, and germinated to the 
extent of about ninety per cent. In order to enable them to be moved 
about, when ready for planting, to any part of the island, it was resolved 
to pot them; advantage was taken of the “Planter’s pot,” which is simply 
