14 
REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR OF THE 
feature. I have already secured a superb collection of Camellias, which 
are doing exceedingly well. I have also a fine collection of Azaleas, but 
Rhododendrons and Roses are very deficient. The former will be 
required amongst other things, for planting on the islands in the lake, 
while the necessity for a Rosery is at once apparent. Properly formed, 
such a feature in the Gardens would be one of surpassing interest, and 
would alone afford immense gratification to the public during the season 
when these beautiful flowers are in bloom, while the contrast of color by 
effective grouping, would create magnificently harmonious and pleasing 
nature-pictures. The Rosery would naturally require much time and 
outlay, but a beginning should be made, immediately when funds are 
available for the purpose. Flower stealing I regret to say, has this 
year been more prevalent than ever. Persons of both sexes are equal 
culprits ; indeed it would be difficult to say which are the worse 
offenders. Men and boys generally convey the stolen goods to their 
pockets ; women use their parasols, if they have them, or coolly carry 
them about in their hands. It is of course a very unpleasant duty to 
check this pilfering, but unless some check is adopted, the Gardens 
would be almost denuded of flowers and plants. The rule of preventing 
people from bringing flowers into the Gardens which is adopted in other 
public gardens is a good one, though I have heard that it has been 
sometimes carried to excess by the watchmen employed on Sunday duty. 
Persons who bring loose dogs into the Gardens, against the rules, 
invariably disown them. Trivial excuses are made, if the watchmen 
remonstrate, or threaten to destroy the animals, such as that “they are 
quiet,” “belong to a friend,” “and must have followed,” and so on. 
Dogs, whether quiet or not, occasion much mischief in a garden. When 
in Queensland and New South Wales last December, I obtained numerous 
plants for the Gardens; some I purchased, but many were given to me 
as donations, and they were well worth the cost of the freight paid to 
convey them to Melbourne. It is true that some of them were already 
represented in the Gardens, but I saw no reason for rejecting fine 
specimens on that account. In the Botanic Gardens of Sydney and 
Brisbane I had the pleasure of inspecting superb collections of Palms 
and Cycads; and felt great regret that the Melbourne Botanic Gardens 
were so deficient of them. No tribe of plants equals these in adding 
grace and beauty to the landscape, when scenery of a tropical character 
is desirable, and what can be more beautiful ? I am anxious to form 
some views of this kind in various parts of the grounds. 
A guide to the Botanic Gardens will be needed when they are 
remodelled; and this is a work at which, in connection with a Catalogue 
