71 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY, 1891. 



colour. This kind of work is obviously of the very greatest difficulty 

 unless carried out on a very large scale, so as to assume the pro- 

 portions of natural rocks ; where this is not feasible the result too 

 often is that even the strictest attempts at a successful imitation of 

 nature lead to the directly opposite result, and the artificial structure 

 becomes prominently apparent. In this case the features are too 

 small to assume any likeness to natural rocks, and even without 

 considering the common occurrence of imposing rock-scenery in 

 India, it is very doubtful whether its imitation is advisable in this 

 climate, as the vegetation which is necessary to give relief to the 

 artificial rocks, will probably in the course of time entirely hide the 

 original outlines, unless it is permanently and severely restricted. 

 The gardens in the interior courts of the palace, which are laid out 

 in strict harmony with the building and in accordance with the style, 

 are ornamented with basins and fountains, and are very attractive, 

 and as it is possible here to maintain an artificial damp atmosphere, 

 palms and ornamental foliage plants, such as crotons, alocasias, ferns, 

 &c, which are such essential accessories to decorative gardening in 

 India, are likely to flourish. The grounds surrounding the palace 

 are richly studded with fine specimens of old and well- grown trees, 

 among which chiefly some splendid tamarind trees are worthy of 

 notice. They lend themselves excellently to the formation of a hand- 

 some park, though not possessing great variety of surface, nor offer- 

 ing specially attractive surroundings. The beauty of the future park 

 will therefore almost solely depend on the effective distribution of 

 plantations and open spaces, and much regret will be felt at the ne- 

 cessity of felling a considerable number of fine trees, without which, 

 however, it will not be found possible to obtain the desired effects. 

 The supervision of this work by such a specialist as Mr. Groldring 

 ought, however, to be a sufficient guarantee for the due consideration 

 of all pros and cons. Intimate as he is with English park scenery, 

 no one knows better how to deal in the most judicious way with 

 difficulties arising out of this or similar causes. Of planting so very 

 little has been undertaken thus far, that a judgment cannot yet be 

 pronounced. It may, however, be mentioned that large trees have 

 been successfully transplanted by the aid of a transplanting machine 

 (Barron's). This is, I believe, the first experience of this kind in 



