Exceptions are the stone plants, belonging to the genera Argyroderma, Cono- 
phytum and Pleiospilos , and these will not be tried further. The popularity of 
succulents among local growers continues to increase and we could not meet 
all the requests for the purchase of plants. In fact it was found necessary 
to stop all sales in the middle of the year in order to conserve our collection. 
With the new house, however, increased sales can be expected in 1956. 
fiv) PLANT SALES AND EXCHANGE 
37. Plant sales during the year totalled 2,730 orchids (plants, cuttings and 
seedlings), 874 succulents and 24,224 miscellaneous plants. The revenue 
obtained was $22,187, compared with $19,416 in 1954. This increase was 
due to orchid sales which produced $16,005, an increase of $4,085 over the 
previous year. We provided 6,979 plants free of charge to Government insti¬ 
tutions and schools. 
38. 514 packets of seeds and 113 plants were despatched on an exchange 
basis and 362 packets of seeds and 371 plants, including gifts, were received 
in return. A list of the institutions and persons with whom planting material 
has been exchanged and who have donated plants and seeds is given in 
Appendix III. Members of the staff brought back living material of 83 species 
from their various expeditions, many of which are new to the Gardens. 
39. During the year 3,300 potted plants were loaned for Government 
and charity functions, while plants were also provided for the Chief Minister’s. 
Office. 
VI. ADVISORY WORK 
40. The Rural branch of the Public Works Department was in constant 
contact with the Department and the planning of layouts for roadsides or open 
spaces was carried out. In Nicoll Drive alone 370 trees were provided free 
of charge by the Gardens Departmnt. They consisted of 75 Terminalia , 70 
Royal palms, 46 Peltophorum, 138 Tamarinds, 4 Delonix and 40 Arfeuillic , 
while many more are still to be planted. 200 to 300 shrubs were planted along 
the Bukit Timah Road near the turnabouts, thus continuing the work begun 
last year, and still more remains to be done. 
41. Contact was maintained as usual with the City Council Parks Depart¬ 
ment and information and plants were exchanged. Advice was given, and in 
a number of cases plans were submitted to institutions, such as the School 
for the Blind, the Civil Defence, the Auxiliary Fire Service and many other 
public bodies. 
42. The large Ficus religiosa . which was transplanted in the Paya Lebar 
International Airport in 1954, did not survive, but marcots from the original 
tree are growing satisfactorily. 
VIII. THE RIDLEY CENTENARY 
43. On the 10th December, 1955. Mr. Henry Nicholas Ridley, c.m.g.,. 
m.a., f.r.s., f.l.s., the first scientific director (1888-1912), celebrated his 
hundredth birthday anniversary at his home at Kew in England. The Gardens 
marked the occasion by a Ridley Centenary Exhibition held from the 10th- 
15th December in the herbarium, library, laboratory and offices. In this was 
demonstrated some of Mr. Ridley’s major contributions to the knowledge of the 
natural history of Malaysia and his pioneer work on rubber, which led to the 
