PROCEEDINGS FOR 1899 LI 



from which they are kept separate. The wild p'art of the garden consists 

 of a hill, on which heath plants, evergreens, and others requiring a light 

 soil and exposure find a suitable habitat; a grove, where our chief forest 

 trees and shrubs, ferns and other plants requiring .shade are to be found, 

 the deciduous trees prevailing, and giving to the soil each ye'ar a supply 

 of leaf mold; and alluvial meadow, through which runs a stream which 

 has deposited in the past m'aterial brought from the neighbouring hills. 

 The stream and meadow are adapted for' aquatic plants and those requir- 

 ing rich intervale soil. 



In this garden there have been about five hundred native species 

 of flowering plants and ferns, many of which were in situ, while others 

 had been planted during the last ten years ; of these about ten per cent 

 have disappeared or failed to grow through lack of proper conditions or 

 the perils incident to long transportation, as the triansfer of plants has 

 been made chiefly in the summer months; so that not quite one-half of 

 the flowering plants of the province can be' seen in this space of nearly 

 two acres. But little progress has been m'ade in planting the grasses, 

 sedges, rushes, and aquatic plants. The results in regard to the latter 

 are especially disappointing, ^although considerable labour has been 

 expended on them. T'he at times turbulent little stream has shown no 

 disposition to be led into quiet ponds or stretches of pool. It has even 

 carried away — root, stem and branch — the pl'ants placed too confidingly 

 within the limits of its bed, and all attempts to secure its co-operation, 

 or at least a p'assive non-resistance in the scheme, have resulted in failure. 



There is a larger representation of ferns in the garden than of any 

 other class of plants. Nearly lall of the forty species and varieties found 

 within the limits of tRe province were living and flourishing during the 

 past summer. The trees and shrubs are also very well represented. Out 

 of the eighty .species found in. the province, more than sixty are growing 

 and in good condition, and in a short time I hope to have a complete 

 representation of our forest trees and shrubs. 



Little or no attempt has been made to put plants in rows or beds 

 according to their classification, the chief aim being to provide a natural 

 habitat and surroundings for each species as far as possible. 



Observations in the garden have extended over a period of ten years, 

 1889 to 1898 inclusive. In the results recorded I have not hesitated to 

 go outside the garden to make observations on plants -more favourably 

 situated for coming into leaf or bloom early, 'always choosing the same 

 locality, and, in the case of perennials, the same plants from year to year. 



I give below the record for the past two years made up to May 24th. 

 In future seasons, witli better opportunities and more time for observa- 

 tion, I hope to make the results more complete. 



