

9 



now are ; this will entail considerable trouble and expense, but 

 the result will be that the Gardens will be much more accessi- 

 ble to the public. This work is not likely to be done for some 

 time yet, but our future arrangements will be made in view of 

 its soon being commenced, especially as it is hoped that the 

 Athletic and Agricultural Show Ground, or part of it, will be 

 ready for use during next year. 



It was most unfortunate that the seeds of the Victoria regia 

 that had been saved here last year proved to be infertile. I 

 had therefore to write to the Director of Kew Gardens for a 

 fresh supply, and I have to thank him for so promptly comply- 

 ing with my request. Plants were reared from the seed that 

 he so kindly sent, but the delay thus caused was sufficient to 

 prevent the plant that was placed in the tank from flowering, 

 and it died at the approach of the cooler weather ; we hope to 

 be more successful next season. One of the plants brought 

 from Zululand by Mr. Wylie, though not new, is a very 

 singular plant of the Vine family, viz.. Yitis quadrangularis. 

 (Wall), it has quadrangular green stems with a small deciduous 

 leaf at each node, and is more like a Cactus than a Vitis. 

 Plants of it are growing in the Garden, and when it flowers I 

 hope to have it figured and' described in " Natal Plants." It 

 is also a native of tropical Africa, India, Arabia, and the 

 Moluccas ; the fruit is said to be eatable. Another plant from 

 Zululand brought by Mr. Wylie proves to be a new species of 

 Lotononis, which I have named L. Wylei ; it will be published 

 in the " Gardener's Chronicle," and is already figured for 

 " Natal Plants." A new and singular species of Geropegia was 

 obtained for us by Mr. W. J. Hay garth near Hill Crest ; it 

 flowered in the Gardens, and will, I hope, be described in the 

 Flora Capensis. A specimen of it has been sent to Kew, and 

 it is hoped that the plant may be propagated here. A plant 

 which flowered here 22 years ago, and of which dried specimens 

 were sent to Kew, has been published in the Flora Capensis as 

 I. Saundersiana, Baker. It will shortly be figured, and as its 

 history so far as we are concerned is rather interesting, it will 

 not be out of place to give it here. When 1 took charge of the 

 Gardens in 1882 a single plant of this species was growing here, 

 and bore flowers for a year or two and then died. Its flowers 

 are very similar to those of Ipomoea bona-nox, but remain open 

 all the day, and are borne in abundance. It ripened seeds in 

 profusion, and they were given to many persons who admired 

 the plant. After the loss of our plant I tried to obtain seeds 

 or plants from those persons to whom seeds had been given, 

 but it was found that in no case had plants been reared, the 

 seeds apparently not having germinated. Several years after- 

 wards one or two plants made their appearance here in places 



