6 
new pergola in the plant house and were as follows: Anthurium digitaium, 
Argyreia nervosa, Beaumontia murtonii, Combretum farinosum, Hieris cur- 
tisii, Hosea lobbii, Mandevilla suaveolens, Odontodenia speciosa, Pandorea 
pandorana, Pergularia odoratissima, Petreovitex wolfei, Philodendron imbe, 
P. lacerum, P. laciniatum, P. oxycardium, P. sagittifolium, P. squamiferum, 
Rhapidophora korthalsii, R. maingayi, Scindapsis aureus, Solandra grandi- 
fiora, Solanu/n seaforthianum, S . wenlandii, Strongylodon macrobotrys, Svn- 
gonium auratum and S. podophyllum. 
28. A fine-leafed variety of Zoysia has made an excellent lawn at the 
plant house and it is a great improvement on any other grass used for lawn 
making in Singapore. The beds along the Main Gate Road, which had grown 
Cannas for very many years were dug up and rested from February to Novem¬ 
ber. They were then heavily manured and each bed replanted with a different 
Canna variety. New Canna beds were also made on Lawn O surrounding the 
bandstand and provide welcome colour at this central and conspicuous point 
in the Gardens. The Lotus ( Nelumbium speciosa) spread with alarming rapidity 
over the greater portion of the lake and threatened to suppress the waterlilies. 
They were controlled temporarily by cutting, as it was impossible to lower the 
lake level for more than a few days to root them out and weeding had to be 
restricted to that which could be done from the boat. Bougainvillea glabra var. 
magnifica has long been difficult to root, but it was found that young soft 
shoots, about 3 inches long, root fairly easily in burnt earth in full exposure. 
Grammatophyllum speciosum, the largest indigenous Malayan orchid, flo¬ 
wered profusely throughout the Gardens from October to December. In the 
Gardens’ Jungle, a tree of Homalium grandiflorum var. grandiflorum flowered 
profusely at the end of July. According to Ridley, the tree flowers rarely, pro¬ 
bably once in twenty-five years. 
29. A trial of maleic hydrazide, a growth inhibitor, was carried out on 
grass plots containing Axonopus compressus, Chrysopogon aciculatus, Ischa- 
emum timorense and some sedges. Applications were made at the rate of 5, 
10 and 12 pounds per acre, together with control of untreated plots. In the 
treated plots the flowering of the Chrysopogon was much reduced, but the 
growth of leaf of all grasses was not noticeably inhibited. 
30. The wild longtailed macaque monkeys (Macaea irus) increased con¬ 
siderably during the year. While providing a very great attraction to visitors, 
they are an unmitigated nuisance as far as horticulture is concerned and do 
a great deal of damage to plants and fruits. A few vicious males were shot 
during the year, but their numbers should be reduced. 
(ii) ORCHIDS 
31. At the beginning of the year most of the Gardens’ collection of 
cultivated orchid species and hybrids was transferred from the Director’s garden 
to the new orchid enclosure on lawns P and R. Separate structures were 
erected for the orchids growing in the hanging pots, as the Dendrobiums 
require full sun and the strap-leaved Vandas prefer half shade. Beds were dug 
for planting terete and semi-terete Vandas, Arachnis, Renantheras and their 
hybrids. Many tons of compost were required and this was made by utilising 
all refuse and grass cuttings, together with cattle manure from the Animal 
Quarantine Station and horse manure from the Singapore Turf Club. Most 
of the orchids have benefitted from the move, the more robust and healthy 
growth of the Dendrobiums being particularly noticeable. The new site is 
obviously better than the old one. There is also room for expansion and less 
likelihood of theft or damage. 
