78 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY, 1891. 



There can be no doubt that Baroda, as regard's the extent of its 

 gardens, and the annual expenditure incurred in their maintenance, 

 far surpasses any other town in this Presidency. Though the cli- 

 mate is of such a nature as never to allow of that luxuriance in 

 vegetation, which forms the principal attractiveness of Bombay gar- 

 dens, the gardens in Baroda will, owing to the almost unlimited 

 expenditure on their laying out and maintenance, eventually possess- 

 features which never can be dreamt of in Bombay. It is, however, 

 a consolation to know that the specially favourable climatic condi- 

 tions of Bombay make it possible here to obtain far greater and 

 more impressive effects at a comparatively low expenditure. 



Another flourishing Native State, Bhownugger, which presents 

 in all respects most interesting features, and which, when the works 

 now under construction are completed, will possess some of the finest 

 modern buildings in India, has also with regard to gardening kept 

 pace with the times, and it is well worthy of notice that what in 

 this respect has been successfully accomplished has been done with- 

 out the assistance of a European gardener. The public gardens, 

 called the Peile Gardens, are a proof of what successful results 

 may be arrived at by energy and skill, aided by practical judgment 

 and a liberal expenditure. The site now occupied by the gardens 

 was but six years ago a piece of waste ground. The area of the 

 garden is limited, and its shape airything but a desirable one for a 

 garden. Though the gardens do not pretend to closely follow the 

 principles of landscape-gardening, no serious or apparent sins against 

 these principles, which are but too often overlooked in gardens of 

 this kind, are met with, and the talented State-Engineer, Mr- 

 Proctor Sims, to whose genial taste and skill this, as almost all of the 

 many remarkable public works in the State are due, deserves very 

 great credit for the results obtained. If any objection can be taken 

 to the design of the gardens, it is a perhaps a little too close adherence 

 to straight lines; but the destribution of trees and shrubs, has been 

 so successfully planned and carried out, as to perfectly counteract 

 any undue uniformity and stiffness that is generally likely to 

 result from this cause. Whether it be accidentally or intentionally, 

 the general effect is to make the gardens appear considerably larger 

 than they actually are. The excellency of the turf in the well-kept 



