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XII. GARDENS’ TRAINEES 
56. Daring the year nine trainees were accepted from the Rehabilitation 
Section of the Labour Department for a six months’ course of training. 
XIII. GOVERNMENT HOUSE DOMAIN 
57. The grounds were maintained in good condition throughout the 
year and regular manuring, spraying and pruning was carried out. On Saturday, 
the 31st March, a terrific storm centred over and about the Domain. It was 
only of short duration, about 15 minutes, but it left a trail of devastation 
in its wake. No less than 14 trees were blown down, some of them very 
large and in no way considered dangerous, while branches were stripped 
off and shrubs were damaged. The biggest loss was the very fine specimen 
tembusu (Fagrcea fragrans ) near to the entrance to the Chief Secretary’s drive. 
The other trees blown down were 6 tembusu, 2 Spathodea, 2 Jacaranda, 1 
Eugenia grandis, 1 Albizzia, 1 Millettia, and 1 Clove Tree. Attempts to burn 
out a large hornets’ nest in an oil palm in the Chief Secretary’s garden re¬ 
sulted in setting fire to the tree and the fire brigade had to be called to put 
out the conflagration. 
58. A fountain, using a l h.p. engine, was added to the pool, which 
was redesigned last year in front of Government House. The hedge of Baphia 
nitida near the second gate has grown well and now forms a perfect screen. 
Baphia is not normally quick growing, but with plenty of care and ample 
supplies of manure, this hedge has grown up to 6 feet in just over a year. 
Much of the low-lying area near the main gate was levelled, so that the 
motor mowers can now work more efficiently. In the avenue between the two 
gates, the Arfeuillia trees are being removed as they become old and mori¬ 
bund and are being replaced by Madras thorn ( Pithecellobium dulce). To add 
colour to this part of the Domain beds of Bougainvillea formosa, B. poultoni, 
B. Beauty of Singapore and Stenolobium stans were planted. Among the vege¬ 
tables supplied regularly from the nursery were bayam (A maranthus tricolor ), 
long beans, brinjals, spring onions, mint, parsley, lady’s fingers, lettuce, water¬ 
cress and cucumbers. Orchids, Helianthus, Gerberas, Gladioli and Cannas 
are among the species grown for cut flowers. In replanting the Cannna beds 
throughout the domain it was found that compost in which horse manure 
was used produced better results than that with cow manure. 
59. The Curator paid regular visits to the Governor’s cottage at Changi 
and a certain amount of work on the garden was carried out by Government 
House staff. The lawns were maintained by the Public Works Department, 
which is officially responsible for the house and grounds. 
XIV. KRANJI WAR CEMETERY 
60. The Department continued to supervise the horticultural work at 
the Imperial War Graves Commission’s Cemetery at Kranji. This entailed 
much extra work as it was important to get the cemetery in good condition in 
readiness for the official opening on the 2nd March, 1957. Following the 
trials with the lawn grasses Digitaria didactyla, Cynodon dactvlon and Zoysia 
sp., the last named was found to be the most satisfactory. A nursery of one- 
eighth of an acre was laid down and when sufficient material was available, 
a further area of half an acre was established. By the end of the year much 
of the central area of the cemetery had been turfed with Zoysia and the re¬ 
mainder with Axonopus compressus. There are over 4,000 graves in the 
