BANGALORE GARDEN. 333 



I am decidedly opposed to the plan of a subscription garden. 

 It has been tried, and failed financially, and the system is attended 

 with some serious defects. There is no single head to control 

 operations, and carry them out systematically and continuously ; 

 and the tastes and objects of the committee of management are 

 various. One committee considers a vegetable garden the most 

 important — the next may incline to floriculture ; and among 

 these desultory plans and changing views of successive bodies 

 the superintendent can do little progressive good, and is too fre- 

 quently in collision with one or other of his superiors. 



I propose, therefore, that the Bangalore garden should be a 

 Government establishment, solely under the Commissioner, who 

 will have no difficulty in framing a few simple rules for the 

 guidance of the superintendent. 



The superintendent will of course require a reasonable degree 

 of freedom in which to exercise his talents, and experimentalise ; 

 but he must distinctly understand his position of entire subordi- 

 nation to the Commissioner. 



As regards the course to- be followed, I would recommend that 

 while efforts be made to render the garden self-supporting, it 

 should be borne in mind that it is not designed as a commercial 

 speculation, — that far higher objects are in view, — and that injury 

 instead of advantage will ultimately but certainly accrue if the 

 gardens be suffered to enter into competition with the market- 

 gardener, and drive him out of the field. 



The great objects are the improvement of indigenous pro- 

 ducts, the introduction of exotics, the supply of these to the 

 hills and plains when acclimatised, and the exhibition to the 

 people of an improved system of cultivation in practical and 

 successful operation. Seeds and plants should invariably be sold 

 at a fair price to all applicants ; but none should be given gra- 

 tuitously, except for public purposes, and then only with the 

 Commissioner's approval. By public purposes, I mean not 

 merely for those of Government, as plantations, avenues, &c, 

 but for distribution to scientific persons for experiment; to 

 public institutions, &c. After providing for the Bangalore 

 garden, those at Madras and Utakamand should be considered 

 entitled to the preference (which of course will be mutual), 



