KEPORT 
Melbourne Botanical and Zoological Garden, 
Sir, 12th January, 1860. 
I have the honor of transmitting to you my general report on the labors in this 
establishment during the past year, and beg to submit at the same time an outline of the 
arrangements which I propose for our work during the next season. 
Some additions to the cultivated ground have been effected by forming ornamental 
shrubberies along the northern side of the gardens, and flower borders near the office 
building, at the palm-house, and at the southern lagoon. The nursery-ground has likewise 
been considerably enlarged, it being our aim to meet fully the annual demand for young 
plants by the gardens and reserves of the various public institutions throughout the colony. 
Many rare or ornamental plants 'have been transferred from the nurseries to the 
main garden. Extensive lines of edgings around the flower borders had to be renewed ; 
^whilst the attendance to the great melange of plants in the now very large space of cultivated 
ground absorbs alone a considerable amount of attendance and labor. Rows of such 
umbrageous trees as are suitable to this climate, including Chinese locust trees, white cedars, 
paulownias, walnuts, &c., were planted in the central part of the garden and alonff the 
northern margin of our ground, and with a view of beautifying the banks of the Yarra 
towards Prince’s bridge willow cuttings have been planted around the lagoons of the reserve. 
About three hundred and twenty tree-guards of iron are either ready or contracted 
for, and will be required for the protection of the young trees, which we have reared for 
lining the walks of the northern ground, and these tree preservers may be used for very 
many years in establishing successively qvenues through our area and the surrounding 
domains. 
Numerous stumps of trees, felled unfortunately before our grounds were set apart 
to their present purposes, have been removed. A second and larger propagating house has 
been constructed; a dwelling for the foreman of the northern ground is erected at the 
western entrance, and also two wooden lodges are built in the southern ground. In antici- 
pation of the arrival of the twenty-four camels and dromedaries from India, ordered at the 
expense of this establishment, stables have been built in the south reserve, where also a 
wooden building for the accommodation of smaller animals is raised, and a similar one, 
already contracted for, will offer additional shelter to the animals in that enclosure. A 
wooden house for sheltering the Llamas and Angora goats has been constructed in the 
southern reserve. 
The aviary has been completed by adding the other wing; and as soon as the 
substitution of an iron bridge for the rustic decayed one was effected, the two divisions of the 
aviary were united, the whole dry and shady space below the bridge thereby becoming 
available as a secluded spot for brooding birds. 
It was found needful to raise a stone wall and causeway on the depressed part of the 
Yarra banks, near the lagoon, in order to protect the garden against the periodical inun- 
dations to which it was subjected through the Yarra floods. 
By the application of a small ornamental windmill, it is intended to establish the 
