botanical garden in Singapore that is one of the world's finest in terms of both its aesthetic appeal and the quality of its botanical collection. The garden has approximately 3,000 species of tropical and subtropical plants and a herbarium of about 500,000 preserved specimens. Much of the 31-hectare (80-acre) garden, which was founded by the British in the mid-19th century, was hewn out of the Malay jungle. More than 4 hectares (11 acres) of original jungle land have been preserved in their natural state. During its early years the garden served primarily as an experimental station for plants—both native and imported—with potential commercial value. Under the direction of Henry N. Ridley (Ridley, Henry Nicholas), who took over as superintendent in 1888, the garden became a centre for research on Hevea brasiliensis, the Brazilian rubber tree. Ridley developed an improved method of tapping rubber trees that resulted in a better yield of latex. His innovation revolutionized the region's economy.