BOTANIC AND DOMAIN GARDENS. 
11 
abundant supply of drinking* water for visitors; and I trust that some 
provision will be made before the summer sets in to supply this great 
want, as also to provide drinking fountains throughout the grounds. A 
few rustic seats round large trees on the lawns and elsewhere, have been 
provided during the past year under my directions, and these should be 
materially added to. The overflow from the new Reservoir can be 
utilised in supplying small lakes below it. This portion of the Gardens 
when completed will prove a very striking spot. The contract for a 
portion of the new Conservatory has been commenced. The old one is in 
such a dilapidated condition, that it would not be a surprising* matter 
to find it blown down some windy night. The woodwork is thoroughly 
rotten, and the finger can be pushed through portions of it. Two large 
Norfolk Island pines 20 feet in height have been planted at one of the 
entrance gates facing' the South Yarra drive, and are thriving. 
Three broad walks have been formed through the newly added portion 
of the Botanic Gardens (30 acres) for the convenience of visitors from the 
Domain Road, Millswyn street, and Park street. Persons wishing to reach 
Richmond from Melbourne at night, can now do so without entering' the 
Gardens, by following the roadway vid Brander’s Ferry along the Yarra 
as far as the Botanical Bridge and Anderson street. Another entrance 
has been made from Anderson street, near the new Reservoir. Four vases 
have been placed at the corners of walks in the Gardens which have been 
filled with Cacti and other appropriate plants. Near this spot I intend 
to arrange the following orders, in groups, giving each plant sufficient 
room to grow naturally and freely:— The orders Scrophularinece, 
Bignonicicea , and Verlenacece , will occupy the corners; a circular bed 
in the middle of the triangle will contain Acanthacece ; while at the 
marginal piece near the reservoir will be planted Myoporinece , Labiatece, 
Jasmines, Solanece , and Convolvulacea — all interesting. As I find 
there are many genera of these orders hidden away in some of the 
thickets in the upper part of the Gardens, near to Anderson street, where 
they cannot be seen by visitors, they will be removed to some of the 
beds in question, where they can be seen to advantage. At the entrance 
to the South Yarra drive, opposite Park street, three other most inter- 
esting orders will be grouped. In the centre I propose to place that 
truly beautiful class the Malvacece , and close to it the Liliaceee and 
Sterculiacece. The Zamias purchased from Mr. Fitzalen (a botanical 
collector of Bowen, Queensland) have thriven ; and it will be desirable 
to introduce many of such tropical plants. The JEncephalartos Alten - 
stenii and E. lanuginosa from Africa have also done well; there was 
an absence of such ornamental plants in the Gardens. 
