14 
XXVI. SALES 
90. A total of 15.780 plants, cuttings, lots of bulbs and packets of seeds 
'were sold to the public during the year. This is appreciably less than in 1957 
when the total was 20.374. but the revenue derived from it was greater, $4,241 
against $3,795. The sale of orchids decreased very greatly to 2.372 plants or 
cuttings at $18,800 revenue from 4,852 plants or cuttings at $28,209. The 
causes of this are varied. To some extent the trade recession must have limited 
ready money for the purchase of what is undoubtedly mainly a luxury, though 
obviously the limitation was not so severe as to curb purchase of the relatively 
inexpensive planting material of ordinary garden plants. Another factor is 
undoubtedly the flooding of the local market with orchid seedlings from 
Hawaii. Though the Assembly made provision in 1956 for the import of 
limited quantities of orchid material from hard currency sources (i.e. in effect 
from Hawaii) on the satisfaction of the Director of Botanic Gardens that such 
plants were required for use in breeding, not one application for endorsement 
of foreign currency control forms was made during the year. Singapore con¬ 
tinued To be supplied ad lib through the back door via Hong Kong. In the 
latter part of the year currency regulations were relaxed with the result that 
more direct importation was possible. Another factor contributing to a de¬ 
crease in revenue is that the Gardens had fewer seedlings available for sale 
to the public. 
91. The Gardens continued to supply planting material free of charge 
to Singapore Government departments, charitable institutions, the University 
of Malaya and the Services. The Public Works Department took the biggest 
requisition of over 9,000 plants. It is worth recording one interesting purpose 
to which plants supplied from this Department were put. The Singapore School 
for the Blind was provided with a selection of succulents — some fiercely thorny, 
some prickly, some downy and some smooth and fleshly. Curiosity aroused, it 
was explained that the plants were required for teaching touch to blind child¬ 
ren. Spartan schooling, this! 
92. The sale of departmental publications, excluding what was sold 
through the Government Sales Bureau, was $280. 
XXVII. EXHIBITION AND SHOWS 
93. The Gardens participated in several shows during the year and won 
awards. 
94. Some 200 plants including orchids, saintpaulias, cacti, succulents 
and begonias were put on display at the Malayan Agri-Horticultural Associa¬ 
tion exhibition in Kuala Lumpur 26 29th June. Mr. Alphonso and Mr. Wong 
Siew Hang staged the display and were on duty answering numerous queries 
and giving advice arising from the obvious public interest. 
95. At the Singapore Gardening Society’s annual show held at the 
Happy World Stadium 28th-30th March, Mr. A. G. Alphonso was Show 
Manager, and Mr. Burkill was on the show committee. Mr. G. H. Addison 
arranged a landscape of orchids, begonias and aroids. The Botanic Gardens 
does not show competitively at this show except for one item: the Best Orchid 
Hybrid raised in Singapore. In this competition it won with a fine plant of 
Aranthera Dainty, a hybrid of Arachnis kookeriana v. luteola x Renanthera 
monachica. 
