Sessional_Paper_1884 — Page 577

5. From the walk which passes through the lower section and connects the terraces with the pla- teau an excellent view of the harbour and of the palms and conifers is obtained. The position is a most suitable one for a kiosk, which I trust will in time be furnished both as a screen from sun and a shelter from rain to visitors. The Band Stand, which was, by the liberality of the Parsee Community presented to the Gardens in 1866, is the only place in the Garden in which any one can take refuge if caught in a shower. It would be a great boon to visitors if two or three inexpensive summer houses could be placed in other parts of the Gardens.

6. During the summer the rockeries in the New Garden were slightly extended, and planted up in places where they had become bare, with ferns, bromeliads, and ornamental foliaged plants. As on many previous occasions, however, a great many of the most striking plants were stolen soon after they were planted. There are several kinds of plants that are desirable for rockery decoration, which in con- consequence of their attractiveness to unprincipled visitors it has been found cannot be retained in such

situations.

7. The sides of the walk leading from Glenealy Ravine to the Aviary were planted up with scita- mineous and amaryllidaceous plants, ferns and palms.

8. A slip of ground bordering a walk on the east side of the Garden was prepared and planted with shrubby and herbaceous Japanese plants, amongst which a few Hongkong plants were placed. These included Rhodoleia Championi and Gordonia anomala trees about. 12 feet high. As this was the first time that these species, except as very small plants, have been transplanted it is useful and inte- resting to record the success of the operations..

9. The collection of Agaves and Aloes on the northern side of the lower terrace has been enlarged by the addition of several new species for which an additional piece of ground had to be taken in and supported by a retaining wall.

10. The changes indicated in par. No. 10 of my report for 1882 of the old nursery arrange- ments have been commenced. The whole of the plants were removed and the ground, which was on two terrace levels, was reduced to one uniform level. On this a new plant-house has been erected and filled with ornamental and interesting plants. The house is 48 feet long and 22 feet wide. The sides above the brick-work consist of netting made of quarter-inch wide split bamboo with three-quarter-inch meshes. The roof, which is flat, consists of quarter-inch diameter bamboo wove together with coir string, the bamboos being about one quarter inch apart; this affords the requisite amount of shade for the plants. The roof which is 8 feet from the ground is supported by three-inch diameter water pipes built on end in the brick-work. The internal arrangement consists of a centre table seven feet wide and side tables three feet four inches wide and two feet six inches high, with four feet wide paths. I trust that subsequently we shall be able to erect two other structures, one about the same size and des- cription, and the other a glass-roofed one for the cultivation of maiden-hair and other fragile ferns, &c. which, without protection from heavy summer rains and parching and cold winter winds, cannot be satisfactorily cultivated.

11. The old wooden monkey and bear house which was in a bad situation and condition has been abolished and a new octagon one constructed in brick-work, with a galvanized iron roof; the front, three sides of the octagon, has been fitted with half-inch iron bars. The old arrangement had wire netting which was very trying for the eyes of visitors in attempting to see through it.

12. The fine plant of Bignonia venusta close to the new bear house has had a substantial new trellis provided for its support. The trellis is in the form of a broad archway which spans a walk; in its construction old three-inch-diameter iron water pipes have been used for the perpendicular supports of the wooden arch.

13. A considerable amount of returfing has been done in various places where the grass had become uneven and worn. In some places where grass-turf would not grow under the shade of trees a liliaceous plant named Ophiopogon has been used with good effect. This forms an agreeable dark green carpet and unlike grass, requires no mowing.

14. About 250 lineal feet of underground earthen-ware pipe drains which had become choked. have been taken up and replaced with properly constructed brick drains with improved pipe-holes and grates, besides about 500 feet of other drains which were taken up and cleaned. A considerable amount of surface channeling has also been relaid. Nearly 5,000 square yards of walks received fresh surfa- cing of material and the whole of the walks are in complete order. The walks with steep gradients ought to be concreted and surfaced with a thin covering of cement to save the endless work, which absorbs much time and is somewhat costly, in repairs after every shower of rain that carries off a large amount of the material. However, this cannot be accomplished for want of sufficient money. If money could be obtained at one time it would be soon saved by the cessation of such frequent repairs, and considerable economy would be effected in subsequent years, as concreted garden walks when once done would need little or nothing doing to them for a great many years.