1 \ * 
STRAIT S' SETTLEMENTS. 
Paper to be laid before the Legislative Council by Command of 
His Excellency the Officer Administering the Government. 
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE BOTANICAL GARDENS, SINGAPORE. 
The only changes in the staff during the year were the replacement of YUSUF, 
the Mandore of the Economic Gardens, by a man named JOSEPH, on account of the 
illness of the former ; and the resignation of the Plant-collector Mat, who had been 
employed in the Gardens and Forests Departments for nine years. 
2. The coolies worked well, and a sufficient supply was easily obtainable. There 
were a few cases of petty thefts, and four prosecutions, fines amounting to $36 being 
inflicted. 
3. One new plant-house was built on the site of the old seed-house. It is a 
span-roofed house, of three spans, partly covered with glass and partly with split bam- 
boo, It is sixty feet in length and thirty-six wide. This house has proved remarkably 
successful, being very suitable for begonias, aroids and ferns, and specially so for 
raising ferns from spores. The large plant-house, in which a great deal of the wood- 
work is rotten, has been partly renewed. In two of the aisles the wood-work has 
been replaced by iron rods and arches, which will be covered with chicks. The 
remaining aisles will be done in 1898. To put the whole building in a proper state 
of repair will be a very expensive business, for which the Garden funds are not suffi- 
cient, so that it will have to be done piecemeal. The alcove of arches covered with 
creepers leading from the bandstand hill towards the plant-sheds was removed, and 
the sides of the walk lined with rock work, which was planted with various ornamental 
plants. 
Flower-show. 
4. A flower-show was held at the Town Hall in May, which was well attended, 
and the plants exhibited were on the whole up to the standard. 
Bulletins . 
5. Two bulletins were published this year. One dealing with spices, and the 
other with Para rubber, coffee diseases, pot-plants and other subjects. 
6. Among the more interesting plants which flowered in the Gardens for the 
first time were : — Capparis frondosa , Garcinia H anburyi, Zizyphus xylophyllus , 
Erythroxylon ova turn, Bauhinia strychnoidea y Bertholletia excel sa (the Brazil nut), 
Derns sinuata, Eugenia ( new species from the West Indies), M ezoneuron suma- 
tranum , Didymocarpus cyaneus (n. sp.), Saintpaulia ionantha, Strophanthus hispi- 
. dus, Landolphia Heudelotii , Dickopsis gutta (Gutta percha), Balanostreblus ilicifo- 
lius , Coccoloba uvifera , Bougainvillea Sanderiana , Ficus maculata , Alpinia comosa , 
n. sp. from Kedah, ZmoiOer citrinum (n. sp. Selangor), P hrynium Jagorianum , Tainia 
plicata , Zeuxine clandestina , and Pancratium tortuosum\ and Pandanus Houlletianus 
produced fruit, which was previously unknown. 
The most noteworthy ornamental foliage plants introduced this year include a 
very fine series of begonias from Sanders, Elatostemma vittatum, and other orna- 
mental species from Buitenzorg, Kcempferia calopkylla } a new species from Selangor, 
and Colocasia gigantea (Selangor.) 
Aviaries. 
7. The aviaries were entirely reconstructed, the old wood-w'ork wherever pos- 
sible being replaced in iron. Among the additions to the collections were two wild 
pigs ( Sits cristatus ) presented by Mr. FERNANDEZ ; one brush-tailed porcupine 
(Atherura macrura) presented by the Director ; one wild cat ( Felis hengalensis) 
presented by M r. GOEDHARDT ; two grey squirrels ( Sciurus sp. ) purchased; one 
phalanger presented by Mr. Hall ; one bear ( Helarctos malayanus), from Borneo, 
presented by Mr. E. MAXWELL; a kanchil [Tragulus kanchil ) presented by Mr. 
MORTON; one peacock ( Pavo muticus) presented ; four Chinese coots ( Porphyrio 
sp.); 2 hornbills ( Buceros sp. ) purchased; four Borneo Argus pheasants presented 
oy Mr. Bruderer; one black swan presented; two large pythons ( Python ret iculat us ) , 
about 20 feet long, presented by the Sultan of Johore; two black and yellow snakes 
( Dipsadomorphus ) captured ; two crocodiles purchased; one terrapin ( Cyclemys 
platynota ) presented by Mr. S. FLOWER. One hybrid monkey between M. nemes- 
trinus and M. cynomolgus, and one kijang ( Cervulus muntjac ) were born in the 
Garde ns. 
