4 
undertaken in order to provide space for new kinds and to improve the 
appearance of the larger specimens, many of which had grown too large or 
had developed untidy and straggly growth. 
Various gravelled paths in several parts of the Gardens were turfed over 
in order to save labour in keeping the edges neat and the paths themselves 
weeded and because of the difficulty of obtaining laterite gravel for re¬ 
surfacing such paths. The Public Works Department repaired and resurfaced 
a number of the main, roads. 
NEW ACQUISITIONS AND PLANTINGS 
A valuable acquisition was a plant of Musscmda philippica var. aurora? 
sent by Mr. H. G. Keith of Manila to Mr. E. F. Allen of the Department of 
Agriculture. Mr. Allen kindly allowed the Gardens to keep this plant in order 
that it might be propagated. It is known in the Philippines as ‘Dona Aurora’, 
and, unlike other Musssendas, in which usually only one calyx lobe in each 
inflorescence is enlarged, it has all the calyx lobes in all the flowers enlarged 
into creamy white, leaflike structures. Even young plants are free-flowering 
and Dona Aurora should in the near future be a noteworthy addition to 
Malayan garden plants. 
We are indebted to Mr. Allen also for a number of living plants of native 
orchids, including one of the Jewel Orchids (Macodeti petola ), which has very 
beautiful deep velvety green leaves with golden veins. 
Eighteen plants new to the Gardens were put out during the year. 
PLANTS INWARDS AND OUTWARDS 
15,117 plants and 2,787 orchids were sold. Revenue from these sales was 
$17,528, of which $11,072 came from the sale of orchids. 3,519 plants, 23 
orchids and 664 packets of seeds were sent out in exchange or as gifts and 
132 plants (including orchids) and 445 packets of seeds were received. The 
small number of plants received, in comparison with the much larger number 
sent out, reflects the exchange of several valuable orchids against a much 
larger number of commoner and less valuable plants. 
A limited number of surplus succulents was made available for sale to 
the public. Local interest in these plants is increasing. 
ORCHIDS 
Although few new orchid hybrids were flowered during the year, the 
number of promising seedlings increased considerably. Two new houses 
were built to accommodate them. These houses are of a simple pattern 
being merely a corrugated aluminium roof with Perspex lights on a light 
wooden framework. Under the benches are watertanks or turf. Such a 
house is cool, humid and airy, and is very suitable for seedlinas and vounu 
plants to about 4 inch pot size. 
By the end of the year 538 new crosses had been made and there were 
over 2,000 flasks of seedlings in the laboratory. 
Until recently Vacin’s formula, which is a mixture of inorganic salts 
and sugar in agar-agar has been used in the flasks. Experiments were begun 
by Mr. J. L. Pestana using organic substances such as urine and extract of 
fish in place of the inorganic salts, using as controls seedlings in Vacin’s for¬ 
mula. The difference in rate of growth between the two is marked those 
on the organic media having grown two or three times as fast as the controls 
