G REPORT OP' THE CURATOR OF THE 
precautions in handling were attended with the greatest possible success. 
The collection of valuable specimens is an extremely rich one. It is 
being augmented daily ; and when the catalogue (of which the press 
copy is now in an advanced state) is issued, it will be found how 
unfounded these malicious assertions really are. Plants removed have 
always been carefully attended to, and even the smaller shrubs have 
been housed, until they could be permanently placed in their appro- 
priate situations. If the necessary funds are granted, it is my intention 
immediately to commence a lawn, stretching from the gravel walk at 
the lower part of the palm house lawn, to the margin of the lake. 
This lawn I purpose planting with the very beautiful orders of 
Leguminosse, and Myrtacere — the latter embracing 30 or 40 varieties 
of Eucalyptus, Eugenias, &c., &c. — some of them magnificent trees of 
towering stature, others dwarfed but pretty bushes, and all alike 
charming not only for their foliage but their flowers. Let me briefly 
describe one or two species of this order as an indication of the effects 
to be produced with such materials at command. First the Syzygium 
Moorei (of which I have seen whole forests, in Northern New South 
Wales and Queensland) attaining a height of 70 or 80 feet, and 
affording when in full bloom, one of the most gorgeous spectacles 
imaginable ; its every branch and even a part of the stem, clothed with 
one mass of royal purple blossoms, having the appearance of rich pile 
velvet. Again, what can be more splendid than the brilliant scarlet 
flowers of some of the Callistemons, their numerous and lengthy 
filaments giving them the appearance of gorgeous bottle brushes ! The 
yellow, lilac, white or pink erect flossy blooms of the Melaleucas, 
peeping above their graceful foliage, are objects of great beauty ; and 
there are many other genera equally handsome. Even the scarlet and 
yellow varieties of the Eugenia Malaccensis , which I met with in Fiji 
during the cruise of H.M.S. Challenger , and which have lately been 
added to our collection, might by a little care, be acclimatised, and lend 
a charm to the group. The previous existence in this spot of some 
large growing species of the order named, and the suitability of the 
situation to their successful growth, induced the selection of this locality 
in my original design, for the effect to be created. When this work is 
accomplished, the lake, now hidden to the view from the upper lawn, 
will be seen through glimpses afforded between the groups, and thus 
add variety to the scenery. The dwarf shrubs in the classified groups, 
backed by the varied foliage and graduated forms of the taller and more 
stately species, should form component parts of a Public Garden, which, 
