75 
Structural Improvements.— The foliowing structural alterations and 
improvements were made in the plant-houses during the past year :— 
Conservatory. (No "ei gs house was e in 1792 for * New 
Holland" plants. The w ings were added 1844-5 by Decimus 
Burton. The woodwork ‘hemes decayed and the : smallness of the panes 
of glass and antiquated arrangements for ventilation being in adequate 
for modern methods of cultivation, its re-construction on an improved 
plan was undertaken by H.M. Office of Works. The central portion 
was completed in 1892, exactly a century after its first erection, the 
om ventilator was added. Last year the north wing was undertaken, 
made 2 feet wider, and the roof raised and a lantern Meroe added. 
This year it is hoped the south wing will be re-constru he 
house will then be larger, lighter, and in every way better fitted for the 
eultivation of choice greenhouse plants 
Cool Fern Pit. (No. 64.)—The dolor of the collection of cool 
or greenhouse ferns which has taken place within the last five years, 
and for which the fine cool fern house (No. 3) was erected in 1892, 
d the need of a nursery pit for them. This was built last year in 
ard adjoining the Ferneries. It is span-roofed, 44 feet by 101 feet, 
iiid 8 feet high, and replaces some dilapidated frames. 
Temperate House.—Slate staging over the pipes has now been 
substituted for the wood-trellis stage running all round this house, and 
the plants have since been found to thrive better. Bottom ventilators 
have also been placed in the wall at the north end for the benefit of the 
Himalayan Rhododendrons —- of the collection of cool ferns which are 
planted at this end of the hou 
Masdevallia Pit. (No. ted tig has been re-constructed. It is 
now span-roofed and on a level with the adjoining ranges of private 
orchid pits. 
Sarda —— —Dr. Aitchison, F.R.S., C.I.E., late eique iiie ae 
H.M. Bengal Army, has obtained from Kabul and sent to Kew two 
fruits of the celebrated Sarda melon. ‘They arrived at ie arte fin of 
January, in excellent ports carefully packed in ‘cotton wool. ‘The 
flesh, though firmer than that of the "ists ordinarily cultivated in this 
country, amply justified in flavour the reputation which this fine fruit 
enjoys throughout India. There seems to be no reason A it should 
not be imported to this country in quantity for consumption during the 
winter. Dr. Aitchison had already, last year, sent to Kew, for the 
"om useum, an excellent coloured plaster model of the fruit made for him 
at the Lahore School of Art. The following note gives fresh particulars 
as to its mode of cultivation. 
Exrract from “Notes of Products of Western Afghanistan and 
North-eastern Persia," by Rrigade-Surgeon J. E. T. Aitchison, 
pp. 48, 49. 
Melons are largely cultivated as a field pah but not to the 
extent as the water melon. The variety sarda keeps well, TE is 
exported to India in great quantity during the winter, where it is much 
appreciated by both Europeans and natives, Europeans in India and 
