( 4 ) 
Herhaceous Garden. — This garden has received a good deal of attention in the way of supplies and additions, 
manuring, and general cleaning up. A good many interesting plants have flowered during the year. I may mention 
especially a plant of Eucomis undtdata, about five years old, which threw up a remarkably healthy flower spike bearing 
a head of forty-eight flowers, all being expanded at the same time. The umbel of flowers measured 2 ft. 6 in. 
across, the flowers, which are well spread out, bright pink in colour, being borne on stiff peduncles 1 ft. long. 
The wedding flower, Morcea Bohinsoniana, was in flower for several months. This handsome plant was also 
in bloom at the Horton Plains resthouse garden during the months of November and December. 
Cypliomandrufrafjrans has proved a very handsome flowering plant, and continues in flower a long time 
through May, June, July, and August. The bunches of flowers, 6 to 8 in. long, hang down from almost every 
joint, and give a very pretty effect. The Flame tree, Stercidia a.cerifoUa, flowered well here this year for the fii’st 
time. During the end of April and all through May it was quite covered with its brilliant red flowers. A good 
many pods of seed have set, and they are now ripening up. 
May this year was remarkable for the great number of flowers produced. On one day, the ICth, we counted 
no less than 610 distinct species and varieties in flower — 50 distinct varieties of roses were in bloom together, and 
the bloom on some of the kinds might have been counted by hundreds. 
Elk., Hares, and Porcupines. — These animals have done considerable damage during the year, especially the 
porcupines. These have pretty well cleared out all the Lilhun tubers from the body of the garden. The hares 
have been most destructive to African marigolds, carnations, verbenas, and Phlox Drummondi ; while the elk have 
turned their attention to the succulent leaves of Arthropodium and other liliaceous plants, and the tops of the tree 
Fuchsia, Habrothamnus, and Stillingia. They have also barked many plants of Pinus and other trees, wliich have 
died from the effects. 
Influenza Epidemic.— 'Eea.Tly every person belonging to the Gardens suffered from this in April. This 
caused the labour supply to be very irregular during that month, and much time was lost. The time the sickness 
lasted in different individuals varied from three days to three weeks. 
Cuttle Disease— This was very bad in this locality in April and May. Seven of the cattle here were very 
seriously affected and four died. 
Visitors. — The number of visitors during the year was 1,319, being an increase of 134 over that of last year 
The greatest number in any month was 154 in December (against 194 in January of last year). The lowest was 46 
in June against 31 in June the year before. 
The number of tourists has greatly increased, and the Garden is now visited by persons from all parts of the 
world. 
Weather . — The weather during the year was remarkable for its short rainfall and for very light monsoons, 
both as regards wind and rain. 
Permission was granted by the Hon. the Surveyor-General to remove the anemometer and wind vane to a 
more convenient site, which has presented itself since the Gardens have been opened out, at a distance of not more 
than one hundred yards from the office. This was done on the last day of June after seven years’ observations, 
which give a good average, of the direction and force of the wind which passes over the Garden. The new site, 
though not so exjjosed as the old one on the patana, is one of the windiest places’ in the Garden, and will be a very 
fair test of the force of the wind which passes through. 
The total rainfall for the year was 70’97 in., whichMell on 172 days, being 16'55 in. short of the average of 
six years, and of rainy days less by 10. 
Below I give the usual table showing the monthly rainfall and averages from July, 1883, to the end of 1890, 
and the number of days on which rain fell during the nine years, 1882-90 ; — 
■ 
1 
Jan. 
Feb. 
Mar. 
April. 
May. 
1 
June. I 
July. 
Aug. 
Sept. 
I 
Oct. 
i 
Nov. 
Dec. 
Total. 
1890 ... 
{ Rainfall... 
6-34 
4-47 
•88 
15-91 
3’98 
4-78 1 
4-75 
4-16 
3 52 
5-98 
8-97 
7-23 
70-97 
iDays 
14 
11 
8 
20 
8 
11 
14 
19 
15 
19 
18 
15 
172 
1889 ... 
\ Rainfall... 
7-25 
1-55 
7-06 
12-21 
15’01 
4-55 
8-50 
4-02 
10-37 
4-25 
7-69 
5-88 
88-34 
i Days 
10 
3 
15 
20 
18 
16 
20 
14 
20 
10 
16 
18 
180 
1888 .. 
) Rainfall... 
•26 
0 
5-11 
9-84 
8-79 
15‘53 
•96 
2-03 
6-96 
1 10-04 
11-62 
18-93 
90-07 
( Days 
4 
0 
11 
16 
28 
23 
8 
11 
14 
19 
22 
19 
175 
1887 .. 
\ Rainfall... 
4-89 
3-67 
1-21 
7-48 
8-20 
4-45 
5-05 
3-32 
6-43 
10-04 
13-40 
33-77 
101-91 
1 Days 
16 
11 
7 
19 
17 
27 
16 
15 
20 
24 
23 
29 
224 
1886 .. 
^ Rainfall... 
11-30 
2-66 
3-28 
3-43 
9-13 
7-60 
8-18 
8-45 
6’79 
9-61 
6-97 
9-03 
86-43 
; Days ... 
21 
9 
9 
15 
18 
17 
24 
19 
20 
21 
18 
20 
211 
1885 .. 
j Rainfall... 
( Days ... 
5'56 
2-42 
312 
4-16 
8-52 
15-57 
4-77 
3-47 
3-21 
10-60 
8-03 
12-71 
83-14 
24 
5 
12 
12 
19 
26 
18 
11 
14 
26 
23 
25 
215 
1884 .. 
( Rainfall... 
4-67 
1-85 
3’90 
3-02 
4-48 
2-23 
309 
4-33 
8-32 
14-07 
9-81 
15-47 
75-24 
• 1 Days ... 
17 
7 
9 
12 
12 
11 
17 
22 
20 
25 
19 
.25 
196 
188.3 .. 
^ Rainfall... 
_ 
— 
— 
— 
— 
— 
11-96 
7-96 
3-27 
6-80 
9-24 
7’83 
47-06 
• ( Days 
' 22 
11 
8 
18 
18 
23 
22 
25 
14 
■ 22 
24 
19 
226 
1882 .. 
. Days 
10 
16 
6 
12 
15 
18 
31 
31 
27 
27 
20 
22 
235 
Avenige Days 
15 
8 
9 
16 
17 
19 
19 
18 
18 
21 
20 
21 
204« 
Average Rainfall... 
5-75 
2-37 
3-51 
8-0 
8-30 
7-81 
504 
4’25 
6-51 
9-23 
9-50 
14-71 
85-1 4f 
* Average of nine years. j- Average of seven years. 
