4 
a special gang of coolies dug the accumulated mud of fifty years from the 
shallower parts of the lake-bed. The Nelumbium pond was soon filled,. but 
the lake did not supply filling enough for more than two-tlurds of the -Unman- 
tliemum pond. 
Upon the inflow from the Tyersal ponds to the Gardens lake two pools 
existed in the Dell. The level of their waters was above the bed ot the 
Tyersal ponds, and they were kept filled only because the sluice fiom le 
Tyersal ponds' had been allowed to get out of order, the water escaping 
instead through the masonry above it. It was conceded that the Gardens had 
no right to the accidental head of water which made the feeding o ie poo s 
possible; and consequently alterations in the Dell became necessary upon the 
draining of the Tyersal ponds. To maintain the Dell, therefore, the two 
pools were lowered and dug into one, and connected with the inflow and 
with the lake by 2 feet culverts admitting fish freely; the sides were concreted, 
and the coral banks, now higher and steeper, were rebuilt. Ilns made the 
dell-pools to such an extent a part of the lake as to be m no way a source 
of mosquitoes. The spoil from this work also went into the Limnanthemum 
pond. 
At the foot of the Lake Niven’s 5 feet high escape channe^ towards 
Holland Road was blocked up, and the small escape channel towards Napier 
Road was doubled and provided with an overflow pipe, dropping below the 
escape channels so as to carry away all the water. In doing this work the 
surface of an old roadway was discovered 18 inches under ground, leading 
towards the junction of Napier and Holland Roads. That roadway, which 
must have been closed in 1866, is not on any existing map of the Gardens. 
The sides of the islet were steepened; the \\ ormias on it were cut out, 
and Randia macrantha and Bougainvillaea planted in their place. I he latter 
however will not grow there. 
It is of passing interest to remark that the following weeds came up 
on the exposed mud, and reached flowering in 65 days ,—Jussiaea fissendro 
carta Vandellia Crustacea , Euphorbia aspera and Pamcmn indicum; and that 
these sedges and grasses reached flowering in 80 days ,—-Elcusme mdica, 
P asp alum conjugatum, Paspalum platycaulc, Ischacmum Ridleyi, Lyperus 
Haspan, C. Irya, C. umbellatus , Kyllingia monocephala and Ftmbnstyhs 
aestivalis . Panicum indicum showed the phenomenon ot vivipary. Aheie 
stands on the bank of the lake a tree of Albiszia moluccana and the halt ot 
its seeds fall into the water: many of them germinated on the exposed bank 
at the south end of the lake, to which they had been floated; and it was 
most interesting to find that in the soil which had been for years su imerge 
they produced‘the nitrogenous tubercles of the Legummos^e. On the bank 
above them Desmodimn triflorum of the same order existed, and became 
more vigorous as the subsoil below it became drier. 
Borassus Machadonis flowered in June near the Plant-house. 
Four large trees were lost by storms, and the big Ptero carpus mdica 09 
Lawn E died of Angsana disease. The disease still remains obscure. 
The number of ornamental plants sent out from the Gardens was 16,481 
and the packets of seed 773. 
By the kindness of the officers, the band and the drums of the South 
Staffordshire Regiment played four times a month in the Gardens, the cost 
being met by the Municipal Commission. 
Economic Harden, Singapore. 
No tapping was done: there was an application for a lease of the rubber 
trees which was refused. All attempts to graft the selected rubber trees 
failed, partly in consequence of flooding, and partly from unknown causes. 
The attempt to graft will be renewed at a place away from the area liable 
to flooding. 
Theobroma pentagona fruited. It is poor-yielding* cacao, the Liazil- 
nut trees which are oldest bore abundantly. 
/ 
