207 
grown at Parramatta and the Hawkesbury. But the impress of 
the old ploughed fields is still left in the* Botanic Gardens in the 
shape of the large oblong beds which, at the present day, mainly 
compose the Middle Garden. These were simply wheat and 
barley fields and vegetable gardens, and when the farm evolved 
into a garden it was sufficient to make paths parallel to and at 
right angles to the old furrows. After the cereals had disappeared, 
vegetables, small fruits, and orchard succeeded, ami the wishing 
tree was planted (in 1817) at the intersection of paths. 
" The attention that had been given in Europe to the remarkable 
vegetation of New Holland caused the directors of botanical 
establishments and proprietors of nurseries to compete eagerly for 
seeds and plants of this country. Sydney had practically a 
monopoly of such productions, and hence it cane- aboui that cases 
of plants were consigned to the Botanic Gardens of Sydney by 
almost every ship. Economic plants were most Bought for in 
Sydney as an exchange, but other interesting ami Uautiful plants 
poured in. The early superintendents < as they were then called' 
endeavoured to set out the plants they received, according !«» 
"Governor Bligh was fond of gardening. W e read that in 1Mb 
'the shrnbberv has also undergone a thorough change— no grass 
now -rowing in it. all laid out in walks, with clumps of trees.' 
Government Hou>e was then at the corner of Bridge and Phillip 
streets, with a fronting to Fatm Gove. The solitary remaining 
tree of the old Government House avenue of a century ago is an 
oak in Phillip Street, opposite the Civil Ambulance Brigade near 
the Water Police Court. The telegraph people hack at it every 
now and then, and this perhaps the oldest) relic of the Govern- 
ment Garden in Sydney, should be placed in my charge before it- 
is too late. There used to be ten or a dozen stone pines just west 
of old Government House ; one of them stood in Bridge Street up 
till about 30 years ago. 
'"At this time, in a map by Meehan (assistant surveyor), the 
native name of Farm Cove is given as Woceanmagully. This map 
Showed leases in the present Botanic Gardens, in addition to 
Bevine's. but these were shortly afterwards revoked. 
" Howard, the friend and executor of Allan Cunningham, later 
on King's Botanist, and afterwards Superintendent of the Botanic 
hardens, informed Hooker that the Sydney Botanic Garden was 
' probably founded shortlv after Governor Macquarie's arrival in 
BS01G but 1 will show presently that a somewhat later date is the 
" In the year 1813 the Mrs. Macquarie's Road, referred to in the 
inscription" on Mrs. Macquarie's Chair, was commenced. This 
road was of a total length of three miles and 37 yards, probably 
measured from the Obelisk in Macuuarie Place. The road 
encircled the Domain, as then defined, and from the chair to old 
