eREPORT.^ 



Natal Botanic Gardens, 

 July 1902. 



To the President and Committee, 



Durban Botanic Society. 



Gentlemen, 



In presenting this my 21st Report on the work of the 

 Botanic Gardens, I am pleased to be able to record a very 

 favourable season, the rains have been frequent and copious, 

 and the summer a cool one, especially in the earliest portion of 

 it, during which time the plants did not make the progress 

 that we had expected, but the latter portion of the season was 

 rather more favourable than usual, in consequence probably of 

 the cool spring, the Mango crop was almost a total failure the 

 Grevilleas failed to ripen their seeds as usual, and the trees of 

 Poinciana regia bore but very few flowers, an unusual occurence 

 with us. The rainfall for the year according to the Meteoro- 

 logical observations kindly supplied by the Government 

 Astronomer amounted to 48.65 inches which is considerably 

 above the average. 



In consequence of the S3anty supply of native and Indian 

 labour, caused in a great measure by the large number of men 

 employed by the military, who give higher wages than we can 

 afford to give, but little has been done outside the ordinary 

 routine work of the Gardens and Nursery, and we have in 

 consequence of this and of the unreliable nature of native 

 labour, been compelled to indent for six ordinary gardeners 

 from India. They have not yet arrived, but may do so at any 

 time, and buildings will have to be erected for them as soon as 

 we have notice of their arrival, or of their departure from 

 India. Until these buildings are erected we have a suitable 

 building that can be temporarily used for the purpose without 

 much inconvenience to ourselves. 



The old Conservatory which has now been in use for I 

 think nearly 19 years has become somewhat unsightly, and it 

 has been decided to remove it and use it for storing plants, and 

 as a kind of propagating house, and then to enlarge the Fernery 



