8 



The old Conservatory which it was intended to remove to 

 another part of the ground has been repaired and put into 

 good order, it being found that in consequence of the rusting 

 of the ironwork its removal was quite impracticable ; in con- 

 sequence of this we were unable for want of space to enlarge 

 the old fernery as intended, but it has now been decided to 

 erect a new fernery at the end of the Jubilee Palm House, and 

 the work will be commenced as soon as possible. 



The house for the native labourers having been found too 

 small, another room has been added to it doubling its size, and 

 this will be sufficient for our needs for many years to come. 

 The Indian labourers have been much inconvenienced for want 

 of small places to cook their food. Nine small cooking sheds 

 have therefore been obtained ready for putting togother, and 

 they will be finally erected as soon as possible. 



Many of the seats in the Garden have become dilapidated, 

 and some wilfully broken by visitors. A stronger class of 

 wrought-iron seats have been purchased and will be placed in 

 the Garden as soon as tbey arrive, and it is to be hoped that 

 visitors will refrain from carving their " ever to be detested 

 initials " on the wooden seats. 



As the live fence along the Sydenham Road side of the 

 ground has not succeeded according to expectations, and as 

 portions of it are likely to be destroyed by the soil having been 

 taken away by the Corporation men to repair the road, it has 

 been decided to erect a post and rail fence of " Karri wood," 

 and afterwards, if considered advisable, to replace the living 

 fence of " Aheria caffra, with one of the " Amatungulu," 

 Garissa grandiflora, the whole ground will then be enclosed with 

 a living fence which will last for very many years. The teak 

 numbered labels corresponding with the numbers in the 

 "Guide" having become illegible, they have been renumbered 

 and varnished, and will be put into their places in a very short 

 time, while another lot of the iron labels which have been 

 found to answer well will be obtained from England shortly. 



As it is in contemplation by the Durban Corporation to 

 harden the road at the bottom of the Gardens, and eventually 

 to lay a tramline between the new Athletic Ground now in 

 course of preparation, and our lower fence, with a stopping 

 place at the corner of the ground opposite to an entrance to 

 the Athletic Ground, it will be necessary for us to remove the 

 nursery, the fumigating house, stable, potting shed and Indian 

 quarters to another site, and to open an entrance to the 

 Gardens at the corner of the ground where these buildings 



