t 
R. 5 th 
The marking - out ( or for- 
mation ) of certain blocks of 
forest near the chief town in 
each Settlement of a suffi- 
cient size to serve as Re- 
serves for the supply of fuel 
and small building wood. 
R. 6th 
The formation of local 
Forest Reserves for the sup- 
ply of wood for general pur- 
poses and Mountain River 
Reserves for protection 
where necessary. 
R. 7 th 
The redemption by ex- 
change or otherwise of such 
private lands as are selected 
for planting. 
R. 8th 
The introduction of an 
Ordinance for the better 
conservation of the Crovvn 
Forests. 
R. 9th 
The immediate collection 
of seeds of the best indige- 
nous timber trees and the 
formation of nurseries for 
the propagation of such 
seeds. 
12. The Nurseries established are of two kinds, viz. : —Temporary Nurseries, 
which precede planting generally, and those for special experimental planting or 
operations of first instance. 
In the former, timber trees are propagated to the exclusion of all others, but in 
the latter economic plants of every kind likely to prove useful are admitted for trial 
^and experiment. 
13. The Waterfall Nursery in Penang has been extended, so as to provide means 
for recreation and instruction for the Penang public generally, and has thereby sup- 
plied a long-felt want. 
14. Within the year, the scientific portion of the Botanic Gardens, Singapore, 
was, at the instance of the Botanic Gardens Committee, placed in charge of the Forest 
Department, and consisted of the herbarium, the economic garden and economic 
collection generally, the herbaceous arrangement, the medicinal garden, and the palme- 
tum. 
15. These additions, although not anticipated, place the Department on a bota- 
nical footing, and afford a wider field for investigation and usefulness. Considerable 
advantage has been already taken of these additions. 
16. A Nursery for the cultivation of vegetables tor sale, with cost chargeable to 
Forest vote, was begun within the year, and experiments have already proved con- 
clusively that much can be done to augment and improve the bazaar supply. 
17. Little has been done so far to collect revenue under the Department, but 
its organization is now sufficiently advanced to admit of attention being turned to 
the conservation of minor forest produce, and to the preparation of a rational work- 
ing plan for the utilization of the resources of the forests generally, and. for their 
requirements with reference to sustained yield and improvement. 
18. In the preparation of a working plan of this kind, the forest in the adjacent 
States will necessarily require to be considered, and it is satisfactory to know that 
the nature of the Department is now such that, while fully occupied within itself, is 
nevertheless sufficiently elastic to stretch beyond the boundary and render assistance 
to dependent States whenever called upon to do so. 
In the Appendices will be found a list of Economic Plants introduced almost 
entirely through the agency of the Forest Department, which has no connection with 
the Botanic Gardens. Plants are, however, freely exchanged between the two insti- 
tutions. 
7- The Forest Reserves which may be looked upon as 
Town Reserves, are, in Singapore, the Bukit Tirnah, Jurong, 
and Military Reserves. For fuel, the Coast Reserves generally. 
In Malacca, the Bukit Bruang and Sungei Udang Re- 
seryes. In Penang, the Balik Pulau Reserve, and Pulau 
Jerejak ; the Idtter has not yet been officially handed over. 
8. All the other Reserves are either timber or village Re- 
serves, or for the protection of streams, mountain crests, the 
equalization of showers, and storage of rainfall. The natural 
reproduction of trees has had every protection and encourage- 
ment. 
9. It has fortunately been found unnecessary to purchase 
much land for forest purposes, what has been secured amounts 
only to a few acres, which interfered with a proper system 
of supervision being maintained over the Bukit Bruang Re- 
serve in Malacca. 
10. A detail of the more essential items for inclusion in 
a Forest Ordinance was drawn out during the year, but no 
case of direct friction with the ordinary law having occurred, 
further action was postponed for the present. 
11. Much tree seed has been collected and many thou- 
sands of trees planted, as will be seen from details given in 
the body of this Report and in the Appendices. 
ft 
