313 



The wettest montlie were May, August, September, October, and the 

 driest were J" ime, December, and March. 



The mean temperature for the year was 77.2' F. The Meteorological 

 tables for the difierent months are given on page 318. 



Kingston PrBLic Gap. den. 



The following Eeport is by Mr. J. Campbell, Superintendent : — 



During the vear under review the garden operations have beeen car- 

 ried on to '.the greatest extent that its allotment would allow. The 

 beds and borders have been heavily manured twice, and on both oc- 

 casions deeply forked, been frequently weeded, the necessary pruning 

 done, plants * trimmed, trees divested of dried branches, verges and 

 edges cut and trimmed, watering, sweeping, cleaning up, and carting 

 away of mbbish, daily attended to. 



The garden suffered from a continuous drought for a lengthened time 

 which necessitated continued watering daily, and sometimes at night 

 until the autumnal rains which lasted sometime this year ; some of the 

 large trees had commenced to fade, but by the incessant rains they 

 were all invigorated. 



Platits of Oreodoxa regia have been planted out, and are growing ; 

 they will make a fine appearance when developed, as they are planted 

 at the angles, and sides of pathways. 



The Euphorbia which was planted along the side of the aqueduct, 

 mentioned in a former report, has developed into a fine hedge, and is 

 an improvement. 



The lawns which hadjbecome quite bare of grass, from the trampling 

 of the people, I am glad to report, have been since enclosed with an 

 iron fence, with gates opening to each enclosure Grass has been 

 planted throughout the plots, which has grown, and covered the area, 

 giving a pleasing appearance. After the erection of the fence, some 

 evil disposed persons have from time to time maliciously destroyed 

 the wires, and in some parts drawn them out. I have now turned the 

 top and bottom ends of the >vires, which makes it impossible for any- 

 one to take them out. I have repaired the fence throughout. The 

 Police authorities have been informed ; they now send Constables in 

 plain clothes to detect the depredators. Having discovered that they 

 had again commenced to damage the wires by inserting a stick, and 

 twisting them out, I instructed the Constable in charge to keep a 

 watch near by the following night, when a man was discovered 

 maliciously damaging the fence. He was brought up at the PoKce 

 Court, and fined heavily. 



The manure pit enclosure has been repaired, and painted, which is 

 an improvement to that part of the garden, The bridges require re- 

 pairing and the walks gravelling. 



The tanks have been cleaned out, and fresh mould put in the mounds 

 for replanting acjuatic plants. 



The infringements on the Garden Regidatione have been dealt with 

 at the Police Court. 



The elevation of the Garden above sea-level is 60 feet. 



The average mean annual temperature is 79° F., and the average 

 annual rainfall '35.16 inches for twenty-eight years. The amount of 

 rain that fell during the year was 46.78 inches. The wettest months 



