9 
Government House Grounds and Domain, for 1881. 
Kegia is a great attraction for thousands of visitors, and I trust ere long to he able to report 
that better accommodation has been provided for this noble aquatic. The present tank is 
altogether unsuitable, and is very defective on account of leakage. 
Nero Conservatory. 
A good display of foliage and flowering plants’ has been maintained in the New 
Conservatory during the year. Some of the larger plants, as Palms, Pandanus, Hibiscus, 
Musas, Acalyphas, &c., have made considerable growth. Most of the plants have been repotted, 
hut they are altogether too crowded to be seen to advantage. The outside of the building has 
been repainted, the Public Works Department defraying the expenses incurred in this respect. 
Old Palm House. 
Mention was made in my last report of the old palm house having been converted into 
a fernery and economic plant house. I have much pleasure in stating that the ferns and other 
plants have succeeded fairly well, considering the way in which they are crowded together. 
Succulent House. 
The old fernery having been converted into a succulent house, all the available Cacti, 
Aloes, Euphorbias, Ehipsalis, Echeverias, &c., &c., have been placed here, and, having been 
judiciously looked after by the caretaker, have made considerable progress. 
Water Supply, Blacksmiths’ and Carpenters’ Work. 
The mains, with the reticular pipes, laid down throughout the grounds for water supply, 
are now several miles in length, and are still in course of extension. All of the plumbing work 
in connection with the water supply, as well as the ordinary blacksmiths’ work, painting, label 
writing, glazing, and carpentering, is performed by the regular staff, the services of those 
engaged in the above being also available in cases of emergency for performing outdoor work, 
such as watering, hoeing, &c. 
Scientific, Official, and other Work. 
Besides much correspondence, the keeping of accounts, with regard to the expenditure of 
Parliamentary votes, as well as various records re interchanges of plants, and imparting infor- 
mation required concerning cultivation, &c., I may add the following also as subjects of great 
importance : — 
Seed Room and Herbarium. 
The herbarium specimens, numbering 6,000 (1,090 of which are ferns alone), have been 
carefully turned over, labelled, cleaned, and partly reclassified according to Hooker and 
Bentham’s “ Genera Plantarum." Several very large collections of dried specimens have been 
received from various scientific institutions and private individuals, and exchanges of a similar 
nature made. Native plants and herbarium specimens, many of them new to our collection, 
have been obtained at Brighton, Cheltenham, Frankston, Dandenong, Gippsland, and other 
places, and added to the several orders to which they belong. Lists of the genera and species 
contained in the classified groups have been compiled, also of such plants in the Garden as are 
available for the formation of new groups. An account of all new plants introduced into the 
Gardens is kept posted, for the purpose of being appended to the general catalogue, whmh is 
now nearly completed, the whole of the M.S. being in the hands of the Government Printer. 
Several collections of dried plants have been prepared and distributed amongst the foreign 
commissioners of the late International Exhibition, they, in return, undertaking to forward 
specimens of natural history, &c., for my projected Museum of Economic Botany. 
Besides the foregoing items of work performed in the seed room and herbarium, seeds 
have been gathered, cleaned, and stored, labelled and handed over for propagation and distri- 
bution ; and specimens for lectures, educational purposes, painting, and modelling, have been 
supplied from time to time. 
Labelling Division. 
The system of labelling, alluded to in my last report, is still being carried out, as far as 
practicable. Some three years ago I selected one of the permanent staff to specially attend to 
the labelling of the plants thBOughout the Garden, the former practice of allowing several of the 
