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5. — Hakgala Garden. 
The following extracts from the report of the Superintendent show the work which has been 
done during the year : — 
Fernery. — rThe destruction of the plants by sambur deer was greater than ever in the early pan of the year. 
I am glad to report, however, that a special vote was granted for a barbed wire fence round this part of the garden. 
The fence was put up as quickly as possible, and the usual damage, which has hitherto occurred at the latter end of 
every year, has thus been avoided. 
Little has been done in the fernery beyond the usual upkeep of the plants. The roots of the jungle trees are 
beginning to tell seriously on the ferns, &c., and all the plants require to be lifted and the beds re-made. Five beds at 
the lower end of the fernery have thus beou treated ; the encroaching roots have been removed, new soil added, anil 
the beds re-planted. 
A new border, 100 ft. long and 3 ft. wide, has been made on the north side of the path at the lower entrance, 
and planted with ferns, begonias, &c. 
Begonias, Primula ohconica, and balsams have flowered well this year. 
Nurseries and Plant Sheds. — The propagation and upkeep of stock has been carried on as usual. The oak 
plants mentioned in last year’s report have done well, and we have now about 3,000 good plants ready for 
distribution. 12 lb. of oak seeds were received from Kew in December and at once sown. 7 lb. of camphor seed were 
received in April from Yokohama, but the consignment proved a failure. 
Violets will not do well in this climate without shelter from heavy rain and strong sun, so a thatched shed, 
63 ft. long and 4 ft. wide, with open sides, has been erected in the nursery for their protection. Under this the 
white and blue Neapolitan violets have done remarkably well, producing an abundance of large, well-formed, sweet- 
scented flowers, some of them 1^ in. across. 
The wattle fences round the lower nursery were blown down in July, and part of the wall of the upper 
nursery collapsed during the heavy rain in August. Both were at once repaired. The upkeep of wattle fences, 
which require constant repair, is a great waste of labour, and a permanent and effective fence of wire and wire netting 
should be provided. 
A temporary plant shed, 60 ft. long, was erected in November and thatched with talipots to protect the 
seedling annuals. The six thatched plant sheds have been repaired, but are now very dilapidated and requii'e entire 
renewal. 
5,037 wooden labels were made during the year, also 3 plant tubs and 90 plant boxes. 
85 plums and 27 apples were grafted at the end of the year, and most of them have taken well. 
675 packets of seeds were sown in pots and boxes, 73,388 seedlings were pricked out or transplanted during 
the year, 46,472 cuttings were planted in the nursery and propagating houses, and 6,530 plants were potted. The 
raising of such lai'ge quantities of stock is rendered necessary by the great loss from black grub and bad weather. 
Borders and Shrubberies: Improvements, &c. — 90,115 plants and seedlings of ornamental trees, shrubs, garden 
plants, and annuals have been planted during the year in the supply and upkeep of the gardens. All the borders were 
maintained in good order, and a new border was made to the east of No. 1 summer arbour. The pruning, thinning 
out, and digging out of the shrubberies was attended to, and manure applied. A hedge of Frenela rhomboidea has 
been planted along the public road below No. 3 summer arbour. Vacant places in the shrubberies have been filled in 
with suitable plants. 
The greatest improvement during the year has been the erection of a barbed wire fence protecting the fernery 
and the part of the garden lying between it and the entrance gate. The wire was purchased locally and fastened to 
wooden posts. The total cost was only Rs. 281. It is much to be desired that the whole garden should be fenced 
in like manner, a portion being done every year. The length of fence erected this year is 400 yards ; the fence is 5 ft. 
6 in. high, with five rows of wire. 200 yards of 2-in. mesh galvanized wire netting, 3 ft. wide, has been fixed against 
it, l)eginning from the entrance gate, to keep out small animals. The undergrowth on the land between the fence and 
the cultivated garden, averaging 35 yards wide, has been cut out and all the rubbish burnt off. A path has been traced 
from the north corner of the fernery, winding through this new clearing, and joining the main drive near the gate, 
and two branch paths have also been traced from it to the main drive. The length of these paths is 380 yards, of 
which 130 yards have been partly made. A flight of ten steps has been laid at the end of the first branch path 
leading into the drive at the end of the pond. At the top end of the gully to the north of this retaining walls, 8 ft. 
long and 5 ft. high, have been built on each side of the stream, and a small ornamental wooden bridge has been made 
over it. Retaining walls have been built on each side of the gully to a length of 130 ft. A culvert was laid in the 
gully to the south, at the point where the path passes over it. 
Classified Herbaceous Garden. — This has been a very trying year for herbaceous plants, owing to the excessive 
wet weather in the latter part of the south-west monsoon. Much damage was done by hares and other animals. The 
ground on the south-eastern side was cleared and dug, and six new beds, similar to those already existing, were made 
in it and partly planted with different kinds of grasses. 
Rose Garden. — A new lot of roses, received from Messrs. Smith & Co., were planted in January and pruned 
down closely at the beginning of February. They then grew fast and flowered freely in April and May, but suffered 
severely from the abnormal weather later in the year. A protecting fence of wire netting is much needed for this 
garden and the adjacent herbaceous garden. 
The Oxalis Pest. — This has been much reduced in some parts of the garden, but continues to appear in new 
places. 85J bushels of tubers and leaves were weeded out durinir the year, and on one day in October the whole stuff 
of coolies was set to work and weeded out no less than 108 lb. of tubers. 
6. — Henaratgoda Garden. 
The vote for upkeep of this garden was increased this year to Rs. 3,000, and a special vote for 
wire fencing was granted. The general condition of the garden has consequently been much improved. 
Roads. — -The roads and paths have been kept in good order. About 130 yards of road from the 
nursery have been raised, widened, and gravelled. Four culverts have been built. The bridge at 
the entrance to the garden is in urgent need of repair. 
Wire Fence. — About 2,000 yards of wire fencing were put up along those boundaries of the 
garden which are not protected by the river. The fence was supplied by Messrs. Palmer & Co. of 
Westminster. Iron posts are fixed at every 18 yards, supporting four strands of stout barbed wire, 
strengthened by steel droppers between the posts. The erection of this fence is a very great 
improvement to the garden, and plots of important and valuable plants cun now be laid out without 
fear of their being damaged or destroyed by cattle straying into the garden as was frequently the 
case before. 
Birildings. — The conductor’s bungalow was repaired, whitewashed, and painted. The roof of 
the conservatory, which had become rotten, was rebuilt with new timber. 'The visitors’ shed was 
patched up temporarily towards the end of the year, and materials were obtained for the purpose 
of rebuilding it during 1898 in a more substantial way. 
