5 
Protection and Up-keep of Boundaries. 
29. It will have been seen that the total reserved area in Singapore amounts to 
11,554 acres, or about one-twelfth of the Island, and that about 71 miles of boundary are 
kept in order. The watchmen being 20 in all, this gives an average charge per man 
of 577 acres to protect, and 3 miles of boundary to keep in order, exclusive of 2 
miles of water frontage requiring patrol by boat. A boat for the purpose was pur- 
chased during the year, at a cost of $140. The average cost of protection at pre- 
sent is about 8 cents per acre protected, but as this amount will be reduced when 
the boundaries are better established, the probable permanent cost will be about 5 
cents an acre. 
30. There were five arrests made during the year for illicit timber cut- 
ting, and conviction was obtained in every case. The Magistrates inflicted fines on 
the depredators to the amount of $104. 
Fires and Damage. 
31. No fires of any importance have taken place during the year within the Re- 
serves boundaries, but they have raged in the open country. On coming into contact 
with the cleared boundary line the fire was promptly stopped. In a few cases, the fire 
followed the boundary for over a mile without being able to cross into the Reserve. 
Forest Nurseries. 
32. About 80,000 plants have been propagated from seeds in the Forest Nurse- 
ries at Bukit Timah and Jurong. The seedlings raised consisted of the following; — 
Mahogany, 20,000; Mirabau, 20,000; Eugenia, 10,000; Casuarina, 10,000; Cassia 
florida, 8,000 ; Serayah, 7,000 ; Tembusu, 5,000. 
The Jurong Nursery has been enlarged by about one acre. 
Experimental Nursery. 
33. For detailed information regarding the progress of plants planted in the 
Experimental Nursery, see Appendix C. Much success has attended the experimental 
planting, and the Nursery as a whole is considered by visitors the most interesting ins- 
titution connected with the Forest Department in the Settlement. The area of the 
Nursery has been increased during the year by about 3 acres. 
^ Herbarium. 
34. The whole of the herbarium collection has been mounted on white paper 
during the year, and arranged into their natural families. About 3,000 have been de- 
termined or compared, and a portion of the monocotyledons is now about ready for 
printing. 
Systematic A rrangements. 
35 - A new garden of herbaceous plants, arranged after the natural system, has 
been made in the grounds temporarily handed over by the Botanic Gardens; also 
a palmetum with the palms arranged and named according to Sir J. D. Hooker's last 
Kew Report. Ground has been put in order for the planting of a medicinal garden 
and an Arboretum, but, owing to the pressure of other work, it was found impossible 
to complete the planting of them within the year. 
s Vegetable Nursery. 
36. A small Vegetable Nursery has been opened on the top of Bukit Timah, and a 
laiger one on a portion of the Military Reserve, Cluny Road. In these Nurseries, very 
good lettuces, radishes, tomatoes, turnips, peas, cucumbers, parsley, beetroot, &c\ 
have been grown. I he cultivation will be continued during the ensuing year on a 
scale sufficiently large to afford a bazaar supply, and discontinued as soon as it is 
seen that Chinese market-gardeners can produce a sufficiency to meet requirements, 
and with this in view seeds of various vegetables have been distributed among- them. 
o o 
Buildings. 
37. The buildings connected with the Department are in good order. Wood- 
en quarters for the herbarium keeper were erected during the year at a cost of 
about $126, and the herbarium has been painted. Rent has been paid in country 
districts for coolie quarters, it having been found more advantageous to rent than 
build temporary quarters for temporary work. 
