3 
HORTICULTURAL WORK 
Although the Gardens were maintained in good order throughout the 
year, very little experimental work could be undertaken owing to the shortage 
of staff. 
ROADS, PATHS, ETC. 
No work on the Gardens’ roads has been necessary although at the end 
of the year some parts begin to show signs of wear. The Gardens’ mason 
made rather extensive repairs to brick drains and to the tiled benches, cement 
paths and drains in the large Plant House. 
NEW CONSTRUCTION 
A Crittal glasshouse was erected close to the Director’s quarters. This 
is a pre-fabricated house of light aluminium* the framework being imported 
from England. The glass was cut locally. The framework was erected and the 
glass fitted by the Gardens’ staff and although no putty has been used in 
glazing, the roof is rain-tight. A plant house such as this, completely enclosed 
in glass, is something of an innovation in this country and it is intended as 
an experiment. Very high humidity and very high temperatures can be obtained 
in such a house, but very high temperatures are not wanted and overhead 
screening will be provided. Preliminary tests have shown severe scorching of 
the foliage of some plants, an interesting point being that fully mature leaves 
of such orchids as Dendrobium scorch much more readily than the young 
growths. 
The temporary compost bins near the Nursery, mentioned in the 1951 
Report, have been replaced by more permanent ones of brick. They are in 
constant use. 
PLANT HOUSES 
One of the steel pergolas in the large Plant House collapsed under the 
weight of a heavy growth of Bauhinia. 
The pot plants here were maintained in good condition. The collection 
of Malayan ferns was resorted and the names checked. The Dracaena collec¬ 
tion was severely attacked by beetle and regular sprayings had to be carried 
out to check this. 
A feature of the Plant House which never fails to attract attention is 
the flowering of Mucuna Bennettii, a large Leguminous climber from New 
Guinea. Its heaviest flowering is usually towards the end of the year and 
in early December it was covered with trusses of large, flame-coloured flowers, 
both outside and hanging from the roof inside. This plant has been 
propagated and distributed and is now not uncommon in private gardens in 
Singapore and elsewhere. The Gardens’ plant will set seed only after hand 
pollination, but other plants in other parts of Singapore, the progeny of this 
one, appear to set seed freely by natural means. 
, BEDS AND BORDERS 
The Canna beds along Main Gate Road were replanted in the latter half 
of the year and have since made good growth. 
A considerable number of old beds were manured and replanted. Sixty- 
four new beds were made, in which a variety of plants were put out. A large 
number of new palms were planted on Lawn X. A small collection of various 
varieties of Bananas, located in low-lying ground near the Nursery, were found 
not to thrive here and were moved to a new site on Lawn R, where a number 
of economic plants are concentrated. Considerable trouble was encountered 
here in clearing away an introduced yam (Dioscorea zanzibarensis) which is 
tending to become a major pest in some parts of the Gardens, 
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