5 
civil and military, which cause a demand for hedging plants and shrubs and 
trees for permanent planting. As the stocks of new hybrid orchids 
increase, more became available for sale to local orchid fanciers and to nursery¬ 
men. More than 18,000 plants were sold during the year, bringing in a revenue 
of $9,900. Of this amount sales of orchid plants accounted for $5,500, 
which represents merely the sale of surplus material, no labour or 
expenditure being involved beyond that necessary to carry on the routine 
work of orchid hybridisation and to keep up a sufficient stock for show 
purposes. It is obvious that with increased staff and equipment orchid sales 
could be largely increased, but it should be the policy of the Department 
not to become a business competitor with the nursery gardener, but to do the 
initial scientific and experimental work and to ensure that the results of that 
work are passed on to commercial growers. 
Orchids 
Nine special beds were constructed during the year for the propagation 
of those types of orchids which thrive in well drained, rich compost. Some 
twenty-two new hybrids flowered for the first time during 1949, several of 
them promising to be valuable additions to the range of free flowering and 
showy orchids already produced. Two hybrids of the terrestrial genus Spatlw- 
glottis were produced, both very free flowering, one a dwarf plant which has 
been named Spathoglottis Dwarf Legion , with pale lemon or rosy flowers, 
the other, called Singapore Giant, a large, vigorous and apparently perpetually 
flowering plant with purple flowers. Amongst the Dendrobiums a cross between 
D. Helen Park anti D. Constance was flowered, which compares favourably 
with previous hybrids of this alliance. For some years attempts have been made 
to produce an orchid with both the vigour and the very free flowering character¬ 
istics of the well known Vanda Miss Joaquim, but with improved colour and 
shape of flower. By crossing a Vanda called V. Nam Kee, which is the 
offspring of parents both of which are hybrids, with another which also 
has two hybrids as parents, seedlings have been produced which have flowered 
at a very early stage, producing compact heads of large, well-shaped flowers 
of a gjgod colour. Up to the present about twenty-five seedlings of this cross 
have flowered, no two exactly the same. It now remains to grow these on, 
select the finest, and to wait patiently to see whether they will fulfil their 
early promise. 
Succulents 
The collection of succulents was added to during the year, efforts being 
concentrated mainly on increasing the number of the smaller kinds of Cactaceae, 
Mesembs. Stapeliaceae, etc., which take up les^ room and are more difficult 
to grow than the larger Cereus. Opuntia, etc. It is interesting to see how well 
such things as some of the S. African Mesembs do with correct potting, 
watering and protection from rain, although they seem very reluctant to 
flower. Only one, a species of Bergerantfms, has so far produced flowers. 
Gasteria and Haworthia , however, flower quite freely. 
Pot Plants 
The display of flowering pot plants was moderately good throughout the 
year, but the foliage plants improved, and a good show of Anthurium, Alo- 
casia. Begonia and Ferns was maintained. A large number of pots of Saint- 
paullia, the so-called African Violent, was raised from seed. The flowers 
7SI 
