Orchids

[?]’S Botanic

[?]Dens

[?]rds of Paradise and Orchids

E, New Guinea, aims to have me of the best Botanical Gar lens in the tropics and already i work has been done. ie of the natural advantages fed by Lae is its permanent louse climate—an average 150 is of rain per annum and idity to match. present there are 64 acres r lawns and gardens with num of specimen native trees grow in their natural surroundings.

It of rain-forest has been pre d along the banks of a creek i runs through the area, e creek has been dammed to a lake with two floral islands ie centre, which are planted brilliantly-coloured cannas lowering trees; water lillies are : established in the lake itself. 0 things make Lae’s gardens ie: One is the several pairs of 1 of Paradise which are now > in the belt of rain-forest, the other feature is the col n of orchids. 5 basis of the magnificent d display is a collection made r. and Mrs. John Millar when were living at Bulolo. The Ad tration purchased the Millar tion which had been estab i from NG collecting expedi and through exchanges with Africa, Brazil, Australia, -ii and America, bough this is no longer the ir” collection, the Millars have levered their connection with

it entirely. They, too, have gone to Lae. Mr. Millar is now at the Mac- Robertson cocoa plantation, and Mrs. Millar works with the Forestry Department at the Botanical Gar dens as a horticulturist.

Walks and terraces have already been constructed in the gardens and planted with the most flori ferous of native and exotic orchids.

These are growing in full sunshine and already cover over half an acre of ground. The orchid which is almost New Guinea’s national flower, the lovely white and purple Dendrobium veratrifolium, has long spikes each of which lasts for three months. It flowers almost all year round.

A recent addition to the attrac tions is two large cages for native animals. Two pairs of tree kanga roos have settled down and are showing a marked liking for visi tors. There are also specimens of creamy-ginger, spotted cus-cus and

the naked-tail possum. These are more timid than the tree kangaroos.

Visitors are always welcome at the gardens, and already it is a must for tourists who are always passing through on ships and by t The Fiji Basketball team which toured New Zealand in August and early September returned home on September 6. It played 30 matches, many of them against the stronger provinces for 25 wins, four losses and one draw. It concluded the tour with 11 wins in a row. In addition it won all six games it played against teams competing in the annual Dominion tournament.

An orchid house in the gardens.