14 
XXII. HORTICULTURAL EXCHANGE 
65. Seed and plant exchange with botanical, horticultural and phar¬ 
maceutical institutions throughout the world was maintained. 514 packets of 
seeds and 273 plants or planting materials were received, and 473 packets 
of seed and 198 plants or planting materials sent out. Lists of donating and 
receiving addresses are given in Appendices V and VI. One of the most com¬ 
monly requested items for exchange is palm seed. The Gardens has one of the 
largest collections of palms extant, but our efforts to fulfill requests for seed 
have been seriously frustrated by the depredations of monkeys, who failing to 
obtain adequate food from the public, for whose delectation alone they are 
allowed to remain, or from the forest trees in Gardens’ jungle, have recently 
taken to plucking the unripe palm seed as a source of food. (See also para. 67). 
66. Amongst the newly introduced plants now established, a variegated 
form of Ficus elastica and a beautiful Gloriosa rothschildiana are most 
noteworthy. 
XXIII. PESTS AND DISEASES 
67. There is only one serious pest and that is the vast number of 
monkeys inhabiting the Gardens and Tyersall Park. There are other pests, it is 
true, but measures to deal with them can be taken without affront to public 
opinion. Thus the monkeys are not merely a pest, but also a problem of public 
relations. One attempt to dispose usefully of those who would let themselves 
be caught brought swift reaction from a number of sentimental persons with 
nothing better to do than to be difficult. On another occasion a hired trapper 
was involved in a brawl with a stalwart citizen of Singapore who was prepared 
to come to the monkey’s aid with fisticuffs. Thirty-five years ago the monkey 
population was estimated to be about 100. Now there are about 300 divided 
into three main troops. They were certainly reduced in numbers during the 
war years 1942-45, but their present rate of increase must surely match that 
of Singapore’s own population. Little enough damage is done on a Saturday 
afternoon and on a Sunday when the whole population hangs around the most 
frequented parts of the Gardens awaiting feeding. Their week-end gorging 
lasts them for a couple of days longer and then a bleak mid-week period 
begins. Occasionally there may be forest trees in fruit in the Gardens but more 
often there is inadequate natural food available and in their quest for substitute 
food extensive horticultural damage is done. Twelve monkeys were shot 
during the year and six caught, but considerably stronger measures will have 
to be taken to limit their numbers. 
68. Damage to the palm collection by the Rhinoceros beetle ( Oryctes 
rhinoceros ) continues. The damage is shown by the perforations of the leaves 
and petioles. Palms affected were Phoenix, Licuala, Oreodoxa and especially 
Corypha . Some measure of control was obtained by inserting para-dichlor- 
benzine crystals into the holes and plugging them with mud. Preventive mea¬ 
sures by collecting the grubs from their nursery sites are the best. On one 
occasion over 1,000 grubs were collected. More serious damage has been done 
by the Red Stripe weevil ( Rhynchophorus ferruginea var. schach ). Two Sabal 
palmetto and three Phoenix rupicola have been killed and several trees dis¬ 
figured. The larvae of this pest attack the growing point of the palm cabbage, 
and eventually the fronds fall off leaving a bare trunk. Control was attempted 
by spraying with Agrocide and Dieldrin but no satisfactory solution has been 
found as the symptoms of attack are revealed too late to save the plant. 
