May I, 1883.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 917 



There is also the difficulty, when taking cuttings, unless they are iu flower, of knowing one from 

 another. In future I propose to plant in clumps or chain fashion, and keep each kind as distinct 

 as possible. 



"The work of thinning and pruning has been carried on as time allowed, and several hun- 

 dreds of loads of thinnings and prunings have been taken out. There is still a very great deal to be 

 done in this way, and until a large number of the remaining unshapely trees have been taken out 

 so as to admit light and air, it will be impossible to make this part look as bright and cheerful as 

 is desired. Holes have been made under and about the trees wherever there was a chance of a 

 plant growing, and several thousand herbaceous plants have been set out in them. Each plant 

 received manure and sand, where required ; but although a large jiroportion have done well, a con- 

 siderable number have been almost killed by the luingry roots of the trees running in and taking 

 up all the nourishment that was intended for the plants. In many cases examined I found that 

 the roots from the trees had taken full possession of the soil in six weeks. The trees that have 

 been pruned and the light let in round about them have very much improved, and a good many 

 promising specimens are now to be seen where a perfect jungle existed twelve months ago. Nine 

 thousand seven hundred and sixty-five garden plants have been planted out in the borders and 

 shrubbery during the year. 



" Floner Garden. — The large ungainly trees along the edge of the flower garden have been 

 entirely rooted out and a low wall built in their place. In the joints of this wall were planted the 

 naturalized Calceolaria and Bron-alt'ia, with a few other things. The old flower garden, which was 

 laid out in shingle-edged beds, was all dug up, levelled and turfed over, and in this has been cut 

 a design of 26 beds with a narrow border running all round. The usual showy garden plants have 

 been planted, and on the whole have done well, though, owing to the continuous wet weather, there 

 has not been any great show of bloom. 



'^ Exicalypfus Plantation. — Forty-three different species of Eucalyptus have been planted 

 out in the semi-abandoned cinchona clearing. They are planted in clumps of five, each clump being 

 25 feet apart. The soil is very poor here, but the plants have made a good start, and it is hoped 

 will soon make fine specimens. 



" Cinchona clearings, — The remaining trees of C. Callsaya. Leclgerlana and officinalis in these 

 clearings have continued to die out, and all those that showed signs of going off, as well as the 

 old C. succlruhra trees planted in tlie jungle wliich were iu the same condition, were uprooted and 

 barked : they yielded 1,472 lbs. of dry bark. {For particulars see p. 10 D.) 



"In accordance with instructions, a small plantation has been prepared with the object of 

 exhibiting type-specimens of cinchonas, and iu it have been planted examples of fifteen kinds. 

 The site for each plant was specially prepared, large holes being made and nine inches to a foot of 

 drainage placed in the bottom of each. The holes were filled in with surface soil from the jungle, 

 enriched with well-decomposed cattle manure. The ])lants arc all alive, but I regret to say have 

 made hardly any growth, and I am afraid that with the best of treatment we shall never be able 

 to make a satisfactory cinchona plantation here even on such a small scale. 



"Visitors. — The number of visitors during the year was 370. 



" Weather. — I regret exceedingly, not being able to give full particulars of the weather, not 

 having yet been supplied with instruments for this purpose ; but the following remarks may pro- 

 bably be interesting. Rain fell on 23.5 days, counting from 14th of January, the date of my 

 taking over the charge of the garden, as follows : — 



January (14 — 31) raiu ou 10 days 



February ... do. 



March ... do. 



April ... do. 



May ... do. 



June ... do. 



July ... do. 



August ... do. 



Rain fell on every day from the 2.5th June to 23rd September, with one exception— the 

 13th September. 



High winds prevailed from the 18th May to the middle of September, at times almost 

 blowing a hurricane. 



116 



