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Queen's Domain'and tlieir's. But to return to the Gardens. 

 Whilst I am on the subject pray permit me to record a 

 remonstrance against the proposal to lower or pull down the 

 stone wall against which so many beautiful creepers grow, 

 and which is such a shelter to the beds that lie below it ; 

 and border what is now a charming winter walk. I own 

 that from the entrance side it is at present unsightly but 

 my principle is reform where practicable, not destruction ; 

 and I say with Mr. D'Israeli " Level up !" make a broad 

 terrace- walk along the wall level or nearly level with its 

 top, on the entrance side; and put a stone balustrade or 

 even a few stone vases or similar ornaments along its top. 

 From this terrace you would command a magnificent view 

 over the gardens, the Government house grounds, and the 

 expanse of river with the surrounding mountains. It 

 would be a great feature if not the great feature of your 

 Gardens, unique in these colonies, and unsurpassed any- 

 where. The terrace should be broad, the side towards the 

 entrance should be either faced with stone or grassed with 

 turf — make the terrace, if you like, in a concave form to 

 leave an oval space for the carriages below, gravel your 

 terrace, but run a ribbon bed along it, and place beds, 

 filled with masses of colour such as geraniums afford, in 

 the expanding angles — your sweep should be continued 

 round the opposite side of the second or inner entrance, 

 which should be just above and near the cottage. Such is 

 my idea, perhaps it may be found worthy of consideration 

 before a final decision is arrived at. I have only one 

 further remark to make regarding the Garden. Its weak 

 point is a lack of grassy plots and lawns, owing, I under- 

 stand, to the difficulty of getting a grass that will stand 

 both our drier summers and our colder winters, 

 as the Indian couch used in warmer colonies will not stand 

 frost. I have written to Dr. Hooker, of the Kew Royal 

 Gardens, about a plant which was introduced into England 

 some years ago as a substitute for lawn grass, and which, I 

 think, would answer admirably and need no mowing. Dr. 

 Hooker informs me that he is sending out a case of Cork 

 oaks, which will be of much value to this colony. I would 

 also suggest that duplicates of such pines, taxads, cypresses, 

 and other trees, as, not having room, must soon either be 

 cut down or spoil one another, should be planted not less 

 than eighty feet apart, in the new ])ortion of the grounds. 

 I may be forgiven if I further observe that in l^rankliu 



