ANNUAL 
REPORT 
To the Honorable James Joseph Casey, M.P., Minister of Lands and Agriculture. 
Sir, 
I have the honor to submit my First Annual Progress Report on the Botanical and Domain 
Gardens, placed under my charge in July 1873. 
BOTANICAL GARDEN. 
I may premise that since taking office I have had many difficulties to encounter. I found the 
Botanical Garden overrun with weeds, plants of great intrinsic value were, in many instances, without 
distinguishing labels, in some places valuable specimens were languishing for want of nourishment, the 
grounds sadly required trenching and manuring, there was no proper system of drainage, and the staff of 
men available was so small as to render it very difficult for me to keep the place tidy. My first 
proceeding, with the limited sum (£600) at my disposal for contract works in the Garden, was to have 
it thoroughly drained. This has been effectually done, and judging from the progress since made by the 
majority of the trees, the miserable appearance previously presented by many of them, owing to the 
soddened and sour condition of the soil in parts (several walks also being in an equally swampy state), 
has become a thing of the past. 
In accordance with my plans for remodelling this Garden, I commenced at an early date to cut 
down a number of unsightly indigenous trees throughout the grounds, care being of course taken in 
every instance to leave standing the best specimens of each genus. By doing this, room was made for a 
number of valuable exotics and other plants, which had previously been overshadowed or crowded out of 
sight. Amongst the more prominent of these superfluous indigenous trees thus dispensed with were 
specimens of hakea, eucalypti, acacia, melaleuca, &c., &c. In the course of improvements effected in 
this Garden and the Domain it became necessary to transplant some large trees, such as pinus insignis, 
pinus canariensis, cedrus deodara, cupressus macrocarpa, quercus (evergreen and deciduous) ficus, 
coronocarpus, araucaria, &c. I may here mention that I have invariably made it a rule, when compelled 
to remove such trees as the oaks, to graft them, in order to preserve the species in the event of accident, 
and this course was pursued in the present instance. There was a very strong impression amongst the 
gardeners under my direction that trees of a certain habit and age could not be transplanted with safety. 
I append a memorandum from one of the men employed in this work, showing that, with the exercise of 
due care, trees of considerable size can be removed even in supposed unfavorable seasons; a very 
important fact to be borne in mind where it is necessary to produce a certain landscape effect within a 
limited time. Large trees, some of which were upwards of 20 feet in height, were thus removed in 
December last. In no other colony has such an undertaking been carried out to this extent, and the 
attendant success proves the geniality of the climate for this sort of work. The following is the 
memorandum referred to : — 
“In December 1873, according to Mr. Guilfoyle’s instructions, we commenced lifting plants up to the 20th January 
1874 : — Pinus canariensis, varying in height from 10 to 15 feet ; five pinus insignis, from 18 to 20 feet ; five draceenas, the 
first ever lifted at this time of the year ; cypresses, from 10 to 20 feet. They are all doing well. — H. Hendrick.” 
In the early part of the present year, numbers of common and unsightly trees were also felled in 
the Garden and replaced by others of ornamental appearance, care being in each case taken to provide 
for the future symmetry of the landscape by considering the natural heights and effects by contrast of 
the trees so planted. 
Early attention was given to a thoroughly systematic labelling of the plants throughout the 
grounds — an operation much needed ; but I would suggest that an order be given for fresh labels, which 
can be manufactured in the colony, the same to be painted green with black letters, containing the 
common and botanical names of the plants. The sum of £200 would cover this cost. The present 
white labels have the appearance of miniature tombstones. 
