85 



GARDENS. 



In the iipi^er part of tlie Gardens considerable 

 progress lias been made in laying out and j^lant- 

 ing the trenched ground, through which a broad 

 walk has also been carried. This walk will be 

 continued round the beach as soon as the necessary- 

 tract of ground has been reclaimed by the sea 

 wall now in process of erection. It is hoped that 

 this wall will be completed in the course of a few 

 months, and when the arrangements now in pro- 

 gress are fully carried out, this portion of the 

 Gardens will no doubt become exceedingly at- 

 tractive. 



Preparations for the erection of a new boundary 

 fence have been commenced by the Government. 

 About two-thirds of the necessary quantity of cut 

 timber has been received from Port Arthur, and 

 as soon as the remainder arrives the work will be 

 proceeded with as rapidly as possible. It is hoped 

 that arrangements will be made at the same time 

 for the construction of a new entrance, more in 

 keeping with the general character of the grounds 

 than the present one, which is most inconvenient 

 and unsiffhtlv. 



Owing to the very low state of our finances, 

 and consequently the want of a proper organisation 

 for the collection of suitable plants, our exchanges 

 with Europe are gradually falling of, and the 

 additions to our plant stock during the past year 

 have chiefly been received from the neighbouring- 

 colonies. To Baron Von Mueller, Director of the 

 Botanic Gardens, Melbourne, and C. Moore, Esq., 

 Director of the Botanic Gardens, Sydney, we are 

 indebted for many valuable additions of which 

 the following are worthy of special notice : — A 

 valuable collection of Tea, — Cinchona, — various 

 OakS; including the Cork Oak, — Conifer?p of 



