4 
Horticultural Work: Botanic Gardens. 
During the year the Botanic Gardens were brought back to about their 
pre-war standard of maintenance, and nursery stocks also were increased so that 
rooted plants of all the most useful kinds were available for sale to the public. 
In all 6,885 plants were sold, and the revenue obtained was $5,348. 
The plans showing woody plants on the various lawns throughout the 
Gardens, and the card-index of these plants, were checked and kept up-to-date. 
Over 700 wooden or metal painted labels were made, and also a large quantity 
of tie-on aluminium labels. 
Canna beds were re-made and planted all along the road from the main gate 
to the lake, restoring the pre-war appearance of this area. The beds were 
closed during the Japanese occupation owing to a disease which killed most of 
the Cannas. 
The area containing the bamboo collection, which had become much over¬ 
grown, was thoroughly cleared and brought into a condition to be mown 
regularly. The bamboo collections were increased by addition of some new 
kinds brought in for study by the Director. 
New trees and shrubs were planted in various places, but this work has not 
yet reached the extent it should attain. One reason is the great labour neces¬ 
sary for digging our heavy clay soil, and the large amount of compost needed, 
when new trees are planted. 
The area on lawn K devoted to smaller plants of economic value (a vegetable 
garden during the war) has been fenced, and various plants have been added 
including Vanilla and Cocoa. It is intended to increase the collection in this 
area as opportunity offers. 
Succulents. An effort has been made to increase the number of succulent 
plants. Some thirty different species of Cereus, Aloe, Gasteria and Haworthia 
were received as a gift from Kew, and other plants were raised from seeds from 
Kirstenbosch (Cape), the U.S.A., Cuba and Lisbon. Several of these flowered 
during the year, notably two very curious species of Stapelia ( S . variegata and 
S. Wilmaniae) from South Africa. The larger cacti are in cultivation in a sun 
rockery on lawn E, and some have been added to this area during the year. 
A large old plant of Cereus peruvianus flowered and fruited several times, and 
a large number of seedlings were raised from it. Some of them were used as 
stocks for grafting the less wet-resistant kinds of Cereus, and it is hoped that 
the grafted plants will now stand cultivation in the open. Three such grafted 
plants have already been planted as a trial. A surprising range of succulents 
can be grown in Singapore if they are protected from heavy rain, suitably potted 
and given no more water than they need, but a good many will not flower in 
our humid atmosphere. 
Pot plants. The display of flowering pot plants was maintained as in previous 
years. Some new varieties of Coleus were grown. The Hydrangeas were 
particularly good. The foliage pot plants in the plant house were also main¬ 
tained, and there was considerable improvement in the standard of the Anthu- 
riums. A few fine new Anthuriums were presented by the Bangkrabue nursery, 
Bangkok, and it is hoped to breed more new varieties from these by crossing. 
Orchids. The experimental production of hybrid orchids was begun in a 
small way in 1930, and has continued since. The object of the work is to 
produce a variety of fine new orchids which will flower well in the lowland 
climate of Malaya, as few such orchids are provided by nature and by orchid 
breeders in other countries. The process is slow and has many difficulties. 
Orchid seeds are small, and must be grown on agar-agar in sterile culture, 
and the step of transference of seedlings from culture flask to the open air is a 
critical one. During 1948 a considerable advance in this last matter was made, 
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