574 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. FFebruary i, 188S. 
which th^y have sold iu a year £6, £7, and £8 
worth of fruit. I mention these gentlemen particularly 
because they are thorough farmers and understand 
what they are about. They have one of the best farms 
in the North, beautiful rich volcanic land that cau be 
worked any day in the year, and although they had a 
good market for their butter and beef, they have decided 
to go into culture on an extensive scale. While referring 
to this farm. I may mention that a week ago (the 
beginning of Februrary), the grass here was as fresh 
and green as in the best spring weather. The topog- 
raphy of this part of the colony seems to favour 
a bountiful and regular rainfall. On the East Coast, 
at the entranoe of the Hauraki Gulf, are numerous 
lofty islands, such as the Great and Little Barriers, 
with peaks over 3000 ft. high. Straight inshore a 
mountain chain begins at Whaugarei Heads and 
runs across the mainland to the w<-st coast, with 
every here and there small peaks 3u00 ft. or 4000 ft. 
high. As the weather steadies down south, the N E. 
trades press in upon the north, and just that part 
desoribed above, comes within the influence of the 
trades, the high peaks catching the clouds and drain- 
ing them of their moisture. Auckland and the gulf 
inside the islands do not get any of this rain. 
Kawau, the island home of Sir George Grey, situ- 
ate just midway between Auckland and Whangarei, 
and inside the gulf proper, had none of the rainy 
weather experienced further north, though the day 
I was there, a slight drizzle fell, while to the north, 
there was every appearance of heavy rain. Kawau, 
the home residence of the most remarkable mau in 
New Zealand history, is one of the most charming 
places I have ever seen. It is surrounded with 
scenery that is simply indisoribably grand, and there 
is no wonder that Froude went into such heroics 
over the place. I have been twice around the worl i 
and have seen most places known to globe trotters, 
but I cannot recall a view so grand and inspiring, 
as that obtained from the heights of Kawau. All 
around is the sea, placid and calm, as it usually 
is here, with just the slightest shimmer on it in 
the track of the sun ; over the mainland, but a 
stone's throw away to the eye, a narrow white 
fringe of surf is lazily lapping up against the rocks 
or slowly rolling up a sandy beach ; to the right 
is the North Harbour, a broad sheet of ultramarine 
water, looking for all the world like a loch in the 
Highlands of Bonnie Scotland. The great cliffs on 
the nther side are covered right down to the water's 
edge with the noble pohutukawa, here and there 
throwing out a blaze of red from their Christmas 
flowers. At the heal of the bay, is a yacht at 
anchor, its sails unfurled and flapping up against 
the mast; while lower down two figures may be 
seen in a boat enjoying the dolce far niente just as 
they are wont to do it in the Bay of Naples. For- 
get for the moment your identity, and let your 
imagination carry you away into dreamland, and 
you may look out upon the classic coast of Greece 
and see great bays and inlets, and perpendicular 
cliffs that the white gulls never weary of passing 
and repassing. Islands everywhere — there a low one 
with its pretty white lighthouse ; others larger and 
grander towering heavenward, with great fantastic 
rocks standing out against the blue of a cloudless 
sky like castles in the air. It was Lady Bo wen, 
herself a native of Greeoe, who so loved to com- 
pare these coast scenes to her own classic shores. 
In years gone by, Kawau was noted for its beauti- 
ful gardens and orchards, but now the place shows 
signs of nsglect. The rare plants which Sir George 
loved to collect from every corner of the globe 
have either disappeared or are grown over with other 
vegetation. His orange and lemon trees, once quite 
a sight, have become a prey to the borers, and 
are decaying away. The grounds around the house 
also fchow the air of neglect, but to many, and 
par'icularly to city folk, this is preferable to the 
rigid order observable in well-kept town residences. 
Our staamer, the well-knowu coaster of other days, 
theS. S. Wellington, warned us to embark, and 
presently the picture was as animated as pretty. 
Bon Accord harbour, in which the Wellington lay, 
is a charming little deepwater bay opposite the 
house, surrounded by a low range of hills which cir- 
cle around and nearly meet. The land is densely 
wooded right down to the water's edge, mostly with 
pohutukawa, but higher up are acres of pines 
plauted by Sir George. When all are aboard, the 
shore seems quite lonely, with only a few of Sir 
George's servitors on the beach, and himself stand- 
ing on the end of the little stone jetty, a child in 
his arms, waving a handkerchief in farewell to the 
departing steamer. Just than three cheers go up 
for Sir George, followed by the band playing "For 
he's a jolly good fellow. The old man dances and 
jiggles the child to the music, and one cannot help 
remarking upon the contrast of the fiery old Sir 
George in Parliament, and the venerable old gentle- 
man frolicking on bhore with a child. 
♦ 
THE MADRAS BOTANICAL DEPARTMENTS. 
Report for 1886-87 by M. A. Lawson, Esq., Govern- 
ment Botanist ; Director of Cinchona Plantations. 
Season and Rainfall. — As I have remarked in my 
report on the cinchona plantations, the weather, during 
the past year, may be considered to have been some- 
what abnormal in its character. The early months in 
the year having a more than usually high rainfall, 
while the later months, owing to the failure of the 
north-east monsoou, were exceptionally dry. The tota 
amount of rain registered during the year was 54°3g 
inches, spread over 14(3 days. Last year the rainfall • 
was 5218 inches, spread over 142 days. The frosts, 
which were very severe during December and January, 
did a considerable amount of damage to the younger 
trees and plants; even such commonly hardy species, 
as the Willow and the Acacia Melanoxylon, being cut 
right down to the ground. Tne prolonged drought too 
proved fatal to many of the trees and shrubs which 
had been plauted out during the past two, three, 
and even four years. 
General condition of the Gardens and Parks and 
improvements which have been made in them during 
the year — 1 Ootacamund — (a) Government Gardens. — 
Tuese gardens, taken altogether, have continued to 
improve during the past year. The lawns and walks 
are for the most part in a satisfactory condition ; 
especially those in the lower part of the gardens. 
The shrubs, which were planted near the entrance, 
have grown well, and I hope, that in another year, 
they will render the general appearance of this part 
of the gardens more agreeable than it has been 
hitherto. The ravine above the Doctor's house, whioh 
last year I reported upon as having been cleared of 
brambles and brushwoods, was plauted up with se- 
lected shola and other trees, and these are doing 
well. Tnis part is, however, still in an untidy condi- 
tion, on account of a number of struggling blue gum 
coppi ced shoots, which are still standing. These have 
been purposely left for the sake of sheltering the 
newly-plauted trees, as the ground lies very much ex- 
posed to the south-west monsoon, but they will be 
cut down in another year or two, as these trees 
increase in size, and are more able to protect them- 
selves from beiug blown down. A number of clumps 
of ornamental shrubs were planted in various parts 
of the gardens, chiefly upon the grass slopes. As yet 
th ey make little show, on account of their growth 
having been checked by the drought ; they were most 
of them, however, kept alive by constant watering, 
and I have no doubt during the comiDg season will 
grow vigorously. The greatest nuisances which have 
been experienced during the past year have been 
the rats and the grubs of the common cockchafer. 
I have tried traps and poison for the former, but 
without any great success ; and for the latter, I have 
discovered no remedy at all ; and I believe that the 
only way of maintaining the la wns in good condition 
will be by constant top-dressing. The fountain, which 
I alluded to in my last year's report, has not been 
• At Ootacamund, of course; little more than half, 
the rainfall of Nuwara Eliya — Ed. 
