1 5 ] 
and easily made., securing to the plants several advantages. The compo- 
sition of the pots is about three-fourths cow -shed manure, the remainder 
being clay, with just a sufficiency of rubble to make the compost binding, 
the whole being puddled to a consistency similar to that of briek-maldng 
clay ; the mould is made of stout tin, about six inches in diameter and nine 
inches deep. About 10,000 pots were made, which were used for Teak. 
Bukit Timah being the place selected for planting the Teak, a band of 
twenty men were engaged clearing jungle, holing, &c.. About 3,000 trees 
have already been put out. A small nursery has also been formed there 
for the reception of further consignments of Teak seeds. 
21. Military Reserve . — Very few trees have been added to those 
planted last year ; the undergrowth has been cut over, and the health of 
the trees is very satisfactory, the Mahogany and Dammar growing very 
freely. 
22. Labelling.— This important feature has not been kept up so well 
as could he wished, owing to the small supply of printed labels which 
have been received. In our moist humid climate the letters become 
illegible in a few months’ time ; and I would suggest that, instead of 
being dependent on one of the convicts at the Criminal Prison, an 
intelligent Chinaman be appointed, who could reside and work on the 
place. Some such plan seems the only way to secure that much desired 
end — “ a well labelled Garden." 
23. Buildings. — These have been repaired where necessary, and three 
new coolie-houses erected, viz., a coolie-house at Bukit Timah, a Mandor’s 
house, and a Carpenter’s house and shed at the Gardens. A small 
bungalow, formerly occupied by the Manager of the Zoological Department, 
has been converted into a coolie-house ; by these means all the men are 
located together, behind the propagating sheds and close to Cluny Road, 
thus preventing the necessity for their being in the Gardens at night. 
Undoubtedly this is a precaution against theft, for when the coolie-houses 
were scattered over the Gardens in three places, numbers of men were 
continually walking about, and if questioned had the ready answer, that 
they were going to see their friends. 
24. Interchange of -Plants and Seeds . — Our relations with foreign 
and Colonial Botanical establishments have been maintained, and some 
valuable additions have been made to the collections, notably those 
from Boyal Gardens, Kew and Mauritius. Consignments have also 
been received from Calcutta, Ceylon, Hongkong, Jamaica, Trinidad, 
Deinerara, Australia, Manila, Japan, &c. Valuable collections of seeds 
have been received, especially from Messrs. Haage and Schmidth, Erfurt, 
Germany; the Director, Botanic Gardens, Sydney; Mr. J. F. Roberts, 
Nurseryman, Kew r , Melbourne ; the Director, Public Gardens, Jamaica, &c. 
Plants and seeds have also been presented by the following gentlemen 
in the Colony : — 
• 
His Excellency the Governor, the Hon’ble the Colonial Secretary, 
the Hon’ble the Colonial Engineer, the Hon’ble the Colonial Treasurer, 
H. H. the Maharaja of Johor, Lieutenant Rhodes, h.e., Captain Ross, 
A. L. Donaldson, Esquire, Dr. Dennys and II. A. G. "Whampoa, Esquire. 
25. Sixteen Wardian cases .have been despatched outwards, and 
about fifty packets of seeds distributed between the Botanical establish- 
ments mentioned above. 
