49 



before and will probably be able to do the work in less time as they get 

 more accustomed to it. Steers would do the work perhaps better, but 

 the mules can be used for any other purpose. 



Fourteen chains of land at the top of the nursery have been cleaned 

 of bush, and as a good quantity of Guinea grass was already growing 

 on the land it is proposed to encourage the Guinea Grass to cover the 

 whole by keeping the land free of bush and weeds ; it is an awkward 

 corner of land, but something must be done with it, or it will simply 

 be a nursery for weeds from whence the seeds will be continually 

 spreading over the whole of the garden. 



Fodder Plants. — The piece of Alfalfa or Lucerne sown on the 3rd 

 September was cut down on the 18th January, 1894, the growths then 

 being about 12 inches high ; the quantity of rain which fell during the 

 time was 31.09 inches. Since the cutting down to the end of the 

 financial year it has made growths of about 8 inches high, the quantity 

 of rain which has fallen during this period is 2.62 inches. 



A second piece of Alfalfa sown on the 7th of January was cut down 

 on the 22nd of March, some parts had made growths of about 6 inches 

 high but the greater portion only about two inches. The rainfall for 

 this period was 2.63 inches. 



The following fodder plants have also been tried : — 



Kangaroo grass (Anthistiria ciliata ) 



Johnson grass {Sorghum halapense) 



Red Top Grass (Agrostis vulgaris). 

 These grasses are placed in their order of merit ; the following were 

 also tried but were not successful : — 



Common Sainfoin [Onobrychis sativa) 



Perennial red clover (Trifolium pratense) 



Smooth stalked meadow grass (Poa pratense). 

 Alfalfa, Guinea grass, Para grass, Kangaroo grass, Sorghum 

 halapense, Agrostis vulgaris might all be tried under irrigation. The 

 chief source of trouble in raising fodder grasses from seeds in ground 

 which has for long lain idle is the terrible crop of weeds which spring 

 up in company with the young grasses. 



The second patch of Alfalfa was sown in drills 8 inches apart and 

 was infinitely less trouble than the first patch which was sown broad- 

 cast. 



Industrial Boys. — The boys of the Industrial School at Hope were 

 placed under the supervision of the Gardens in October, 1893. Since 

 that period all boys who are over 12 years of age work the whole day 

 in the gardens with the exception of an hour and a half passed in 

 School, and the time occupied by meals. They work with these 

 exceptions from 6.30 a.m. to 5 p m. 



All the boys in the School attend a demonstration by the Superinten- 

 dent for half an hour each day. The subjects dealt with up to the end 

 of March are as follow : 

 Practical — 



Pruning Cacao, (large trees.) 



" " (small trees.) 

 Sowing seeds of Cocoa. 

 Potting seedlings of Cocoa. 

 Pruning Liberian Coffee. 



