- REPORT. - 



:o: 



Natal Botanic Gardens, Berea, 

 Durban, July 1910. 



To the President and Committee, 

 Durban Botanic Society. 



Gentlemen, — You are aware that in consequence of the 

 tremendous reduction made, both in the annual grants to the 

 Botanic Gardens and also to the Herbarium, it was not found 

 possible to issue reports for the last two years, as formerly, on 

 account of the expense of printing ; all that was done was to 

 issue a short two-page letter and balance sheet in order to 

 comply with the conditions of the Law of Incorporation. For 

 the year now ended the grant has been restored to its original 

 amount, viz, £350 per annum, the grant to the Herbarium 

 remains as it has been for the last two years, £175, instead of 

 as before £300. This is only sufficient to pay the salary of 

 the Assistant leaving a very insufficient amount for ordinary 

 petty expenses, and nothing for the Director, who is paid by 

 the Botanic Society alone, the greater portion of his time being 

 taken up with the work of the Colonial Herbarium ft is, how- 

 ever, hoped that a more adequate allowance will be made for 

 the work of the Herbarium which is sadly hampered by the 

 want of books of reference, and other things which we are at 

 present unable to obtain. 



In my last report I stated that the staff had, in couse- 

 quence of these reductions, to be very considerably reduced, 

 and though more hands have been employed since that time, 

 we are still not in a position to do more than the ordinary 

 work of the Gardens. 



In consequence chiefly of the great attractions of the 

 Beach, the number of visitors to the Gardens has been so 

 greatly reduced that it was found necessary to close the tea- 

 room, which was being carried on at a loss to the lady who 

 had kept it since the building was erected. The building, 

 which cost the Society upwards of £300, is now untenanted 



The plant labels sadly require attention, the wooden ones 

 have become almost illegible, many of the enamelled ones have 

 become, chiefly, but not altogether, by the changes of tempera- 

 ture, chipped and broken, and of the iron ones we have but few ; 

 many have been removed by mischievous visitors, and some 



