BOTANIC AND DOMAIN GARDENS. 
21 
during the year. The fruit-trees were duly pruned, &c., and are pro- 
gressing satisfactorily. A cow-paddock of 10 acres was formed, which 
His Excellency required for his fine breed of Alderneys. To form this 
paddock it was necessary to remove a large number of trees, which was 
successfully done, the specimens being transplanted to appropriate spots. 
The ground was then ploughed, harrowed, and sown with English 
grasses. From the very inferior quality of the soil, top dressing became 
imperative. Several hundred loads have already been applied ; but 
more must be done in this direction. 
The large lawn in front of Government House required great atten- 
tion. The necessary removal of the crest of the hill left nothing but a 
stiff, hard clay. About 1,500 loads of soil were carted to fill up, level, 
and finish the making ; and 1,000 loads of manure, street sweepings, &c., 
were stored, to mix with 4,000 cart loads of virgin soil for a similar 
purpose. The contract for the latter has been let. This ground is 
naturally very wet and poor ; good drainage is an immediate necessity ; 
and a contract for the purpose has been commenced. The drainage of 
this and other parts of the ground depends so much on situation, and 
the nature of subsequent planting, that it requires to be left entirely in 
the hands of the landscape gardener. My original design, however, was 
to a certain extent departed from. Draining a garden is an entirely 
different process to other operations of the kind. Soil, situation, and 
purpose to which the ground is to be devoted, besides the habits of the 
plants to occupy the spot, require careful study. It must be remembered 
that drainage is one of the greatest considerations in the formation of a 
garden. Few people seem to be aware of the fact that proper drainage, 
no matter how dry the situation may be, is beneficial to vegetation, as it 
brings moisture to a dry spot and removes superfluous moisture from a 
wet one. 
The large number of 4,591 young trees and shrubs were removed 
from the nurseries of the Garden and planted in groups around this 
lawn, and in the adjoining Domain. 
The Croquet Lawn was completed. The borders of this, and other 
small lawns on the north side of Government House, were top-dressed, 
and planted with many choice and valuable bulbs and shrubs from 
various Melbourne nurseries. Near this spot a bush fern house has 
been built and the spot rendered very attractive. 
In the Rockery and Fern Gully, numbers of Zamias, dwarf-ferns and 
miscellaneous plants, were used in the upper portion ; all are thriving. 
A path was made round it, and the borders planted. The place now 
