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3.— Hakgala Garden. 
Such improvements as our votes Avill allow have been effected during the year, and the Garden 
continues gradually to advance under the assiduous care of the Superintendent, Mr. Nock. I am 
gratified to know that an increased vote for upkeep is to be granted for the coming year, which will 
render progress somewhat more rapid. 
Another portion of the old drive has been taken in hand and finished off. This was the 
Avorst remaining piece, 130 yards in length, very uneven and irregular, and with a gradient in one 
part of as much as 1 in 9. By altering the curves and adopting a new trace a uniform gradient of 
1 in 15 has been obtained, and the banks being cut back and sloped the road has been greatly im- 
proved in appearance and utility. 
A second propagating pit has been constructed during the year. It forms a sunk span- 
roofed house, 36 ft. long by 12 ft. wide, the details of which are given below. This is a great aid 
to garden work and the maintenance of a stock of plants. 
I regret to have to report that much less progress has been made by the Public Works 
Department with the reservoir than might have been expected. The work of excavation was not even 
commenced till May 8, and it was not till July that the foundations of the walls were laid. Then, 
at the end of September, it was discovered that the sum voted for the Avhole work was exhausted, 
though little more than half of it was done. Work was not commenced again till December 16 
(with a supplementary vote), and as little could be done during the wet weather at the close of 
that month, the end of the year sees us still without any provision against the probable droughts 
of March and April. 
I have made a commencement towards labelling the more prominent trees and other plants 
on a similar plan to that in use at Peradeniya, and about 300 brick labels have been painted and 
put in position. I hope to continue this work during the coming year. 
A permanent shelter for carriages and horses, in place of the shabby and dilapidated 
structure at present used, is one of the most pressing requirements at this Garden. 
The following details are extracted from the Superintendent's Report for the year : — 
One of the principal pieces of work during the year has been the construction of a span-roofed pit for the 
propagation and growtli of young plants. It is 36 ft. long and 12 ft. wide. From the ridge to the floor it is 7 ft. 
6 in. The walls up to 12 in. above surface-level are made of split stones. The uprights for the side lights, which 
are 18 in. deep, are fitted on to this, and the wall plates on top of this support the roof. Three iron tie-rods, 
three quarters of an inch in diameter, scrcM'ed to the ridge and wall plates, strengthen the roof and keep it in place. 
Four side lights on each side are made to open with small hand levers to admit air, and three small lights on each 
side of the roof for top air. The pit is entered by a flight of four steps on each side. These steps are 4 ft. 6 in. 
wide, the tread 12 in., and the rise of each step 10 in. The path, which is 3 ft. below the surface of the ground, runs 
along the centre, and is 3 ft. wide. The stages which are made of 2-in. planks are supported by brick pillars, 9 in. 
square, and are 3 ft. 6 in. wide. This, with the 8-in. margin of wall all round, gives us about 250 superficial feet of 
stage-room for plants. The roof is glazed with ordinary glass. The stages were put in, the woodwork well 
painted, and all made ready to receive plants by the end of September. All that remains now to complete it is a 
small coping for the ridge and guttering round the eaves. 
Fernery. — Beyond cutting down the undergrowth for a space of twenty-four yards wide on the upper side, 
fixing orchids on to the stems of the large trees, and thinning out and pruning the jungle trees, nothing but the 
ordinary weeding, cleaning, and replanting was done in the fernery. During the high winds in June a tree, which 
afforded shade to the large clump of Adiantinn cuiteahim, was blown down, and the plants here suffered a good 
deal from exposure. With the exception of about six weeks during the drought the plants generally here have done 
well, and continued to be attractive to visitors. A quantity of cowslips and oxlips flowered very well among the 
ferns in February. 
FlmU Sheds and Nurseries. — The usual stock of plants, trees, and shrubs has been kept up, both for 
distribution and for the upkeep of the Garden. I regret, however, to report that, owing to the severe drought at 
one time and continued heavy falls of rain at other times, several batches of cuttings have failed to strike, and 
many succulent plants were killed completely. 
A large number of the grafts which were worked on to stocks of the common plum in November, 1890, 
united well, and a considerable quantity of them have been distributed. In consequence of the fine bright weather 
in Noveniljcr the grafting this year was delayed till December, when 190 scions of various kinds of plums were 
grafted on to common stocks. 
Some of the conifers in the Garden are now beginning to produce good seeds. These have been collected, 
and a part sown in the nursery, and some have been sold. 
There were 1,024 i)an8 of seeds sown and 46,550 seeding plants pricked out or transplanted, 60,050 cuttings 
of various sorts were put in the nursery or propagating house, and 4,844 plants were potted. 
Borders, Hhruhheri.es, &c. — Our manure supply is so limited that we were unable to give so liberal a dressing 
as the soil re(juireil. 
39,1. "/J plants of ornamental trees and shrubs and general garden plants and annuals were set out during the 
year in the borders, Ijcds, and Khrubljcries. 
A now border, ()6 ft. long, was formed near the carriage shed and planted with herbaceous plants 
— ribbon-boiflei' fashion. A stone (h-ain of the same length, to carry off the water, and one side to support this 
border, was made here on the side next the drive. Another new border. 111 ft. long, was made near the large 
