STRAITS SETTLEME N T S . 
Paper to be laid before the .Legislative Council by Command of 
His Honour the Officer Administering the Government. 
Annual Report of the Botanic Gardens, Singapore. 
Staff. 
1. Mr. CURTIS, Assistant Superintendent of the Penang Botanic Gardens, having 
gone home on leave in May ist, it was necessary to send Mr. Fox to Penang to act for 
him during his absence. He left for Penang in April 26th and returned November 6th. 
The plantTollector, Talka, left early in the year and was replaced by a Malay KASDANI. 
The apprentice Simon left at the same time. The coco-nut trees inspection coolie 
PACKAY, who had been employed for ten years, died of small-pox, and was replaced b\ 
a Malay, and an extra coolie was employed for part of the year in cutting down dead 
and dying trees on abandoned coco-nut estates. 1 he coolies worked well and there 
was no difficulty in obtaining as many as were required. The beri-beri which had been 
troublesome among them for the past two or three years entirely disappeared on the 
destruction of the old cooly lines and there was hardly any sickness of any kind 
among them after the new lines were built. 
Visitors. 
2. The number of visitors was as large as usual, and a good number of scientific 
botanists, planters and others interested in botany visited the gardens. The Regi- 
mental band played on moonlight nights and was much appreciated. There were 
but few thefts and those of a very petty nature and there were no prosecutions. 
Flower* Show. 
3. A most successful exhibition of flowering plants, ferns and begonias was 
held in the Town Hall in April. The display of flowers and especially orchids was 
much finer than on any previous occasion. 
Aviaries. 
4. The following animals and birds were added to the Zoological collection : One 
leopard cat (Felis bengalensis) presented by Captain McGill, and one by the Hon’ble 
W. EGERTON ; one slow loris ( Nycticebus tardigradus ) presented by Mr. R. O. H. 
DAWES ; one Chinese fox [Cam's sp.) presented by the Officers of H. M. S. Phcenix ; 
unfortunately it died in an epileptic fit brought on by excitement, to which these 
animals when young are subject; one Russian fox ( Cams vulpes ) presented by the 
Russian Consul ; six white rats (Mus decumanus var) presented by Mr. Yo Cho For ; 
one black buck ( Antilope cervicapra) presented by Captain H ARDCAS TLE ; one 
Cervus hippelaphus from Java presented by J. CARROLL Esq.; one Jabiru. presented 
by Mr. Yap WAT; three water hens ( Erythra phosnicura ) presented by Mr. St. V. B. 
DOWN ; three black swans presented by the Sultan of Johore ; one owl [Huhua 
orientalis) purchased ; three kangaroos from West Australia presented by Mr. Le 
SoueF, but unfortunately they succumbed to the excessive wet of our climate. A 
common python was presented by Mr. ErSKINE, and two tortoises from Selangor by 
Mr. GOODENOUGH. A common monkey, a hybrid monkey, a deer, a kijang and a 
phalanger were born as well as a litter of green vipers, Lachesis Wagleri. 
Plantsrreceived. 
* * During the year there were received 325 packets and bags of seeds, 300 
plants and 1,327 bulbs and tubers. Among which may be specially mentioned a large 
number of Lily bulbs from Japan, a new Ginger from German Last Atuca, Amorpho- 
phallus Titanum (presented by Mr. Buttikofer), and among plants of special economic 
interest. Willughbeia edulis (from Saigon and Calcutta) Caryocar nuciferum from 
Kew Dichopsis Krantziana (Saigon Guttapercha from Saigon.) Mascarenhaisia 
elastic* from Madagascar, a new rubber, (Botanic Gardens, Berlin) five varieties of 
Ramie (Mr. BLUNTSCHLl); an unusually large variety of Papaya (Mr. Darby). 
