r 4 ) 
3.— Hakgala Garden. 
Such improvements as our votes will allow have been effected during the 5 "ear, and the Garden 
continues gradually to advance under the assiduous care of the Superintendent, Mr. Nock. 1 am 
gratified to know that an increased vote for upkeep is to be granted for the coming year, which will 
render progress somewhat more rapid. 
Another portion of the old drive has been taken in hand and finished oft'. This w'as the 
worst remaining piece, 130 yards in length, very uneven and irregular, and with a gradient in one 
part of as much as 1 in 0, By altering the curves and adopting a new trace a uniform gradient of 
1 in 1.5 has been obtained, and the banks being cut back and sloped the road has been greatly im- 
proved in appearance and utility. 
A second propagating pit has been constructed during the year. It forms a sunk span- 
roofed house, 36 ft. long by 12 ft. wide, the details of which are given below. This is a great aid 
to garden work and the maintenance of a stock of plants. 
I regret to haA e to report that much less progress has been made by the Public Works 
De])artmeut with the reservoir than might have been expected. The Avork of excavaf ion Avas not even 
commenced till May 8, and it Avas not till July that the foundations of the Avails Avere laid. Then, 
at the end of September, it was discovered that the sum voted for the whole Avork Avas exhausted, 
though little more than half of it Avas done. Work Avas not commenced again till December 16 
(Avith a supplementary vote), and as little could be done during the Avet weather at the close of 
that month, the end of the year sees us still without any provision against the probable droughts 
of March and April. 
I have made a commencement toAvards labelling the more prominent trees and other plants 
on a similar plan to that in use at Peradeniya, and about .300 brick labels liaA’e been painted and 
put in position. I ho])e to continue this Avork during the coming year. 
A permanent sheltei- for carriages and horses, in place of the shabby and dilapidated 
structure at present used, is one of the most pressing requirements at this Garden. 
The folloAving details are extracted from the Superintendent’s Report for the year : — 
Oiu) of tho principal pieces of work during the year has been the construction of a s|)an-roofed pit for tlie 
propagation and growth of young plants. It is 3() ft. long and 12 ft. wide. From the ridge to the floor it is 7 ft. 
(5 in. Tho walls up to 12 in. above surface-level are made of split stones. Tho uprights for the side lights, which 
are 18 in. deep, are fitted on to this, and the Avail plates on top of this support the roof. Thl'ee iron tie-rods, 
three quarters of an inch in diameter, screwed to tho ridge and wall plates, strengthen the roof and keep it in placed 
Four side lights on each side are made to open with small hand levers to admit air, and throe small lights on each 
side of tho roof for top air. The pit is entered by a flight of four steps on each side. Those steps are 4 ft. 11 in. 
wide, the tread 12 in., luid the rise of each step 10 in. The path, which is 3 ft. beloAv the surface of the gi'ound, runs 
along tho centre, and is 3 ft. wide. Tlio stages which are made of 2-in. planks are supi)ortcd by brick pillars, 9 in. 
square, and are 3 ft. 6 in. wide. This, with the 8-in. margin of wall all round, gives us about 2.10 superficial feet of 
stage-room for plants. The roof is glazed with ordinary glass. The stages were put in, tlie woodwork well 
painted, and all made ready to receive plants by the end of September. All that remains now to complete it is a 
small coping for the ridge and guttering round the eaves. 
Fernei'y . — Beyond cutting down tho undergrowth for a space of twenty-four yards wide on the upper side, 
fixing orchids on to the stems of the large trees, and thinning out and ]iruning the jungle trees, nothing but the 
ordinary Aveeding, cleaning, and I'eplanting was done in the fernery. During the high winds in June a tree, which 
afforded shade to the largo clump of Adiuntiun cuiiealuiii, was blown down, and the plants here sufl'ered a good 
deal from exposure. With theexception of about six Aveeks during the drought the plants generally here have done 
well, and continued to be attractive to visitors. A quantity of cowslips and oxlips flowered very well among the 
ferns in February. 
riant, Sheds and, Nurseries. — I'he usual stock of plants, trees, and shrubs has been kept uj), both for 
distribution and for the upkeep of the Garden. I regret, howeA'cr. to report that, oAving to the severe drought at 
one time and continued heavy falls of rain at other times, several batches of cuttings have failed to strike, and 
many succulent plants were killed completely. 
A large number of the grafts which were worked on to stocks of the common plum in November, 1890' 
united well, and a considerable quantity of them have been distributed. In consequence of the fine bright wcathfi' 
in November the grafting this year was delayed till December, when 190 scions of various kinds of plums were 
grafted on to common stocks. 
Some of tho conifers in the Garden are noAv beginning to jiroduce good seeds. These have been collected, 
and a part sown in the nursery, and some have been sold. 
There were 1,024 pans of seeds sown and 4(1, .1,10 seeding plants inicked out or transplanted, fiO, 050 cutting® 
of Various sorts were put in the nursery or propagating house, and 4,844 plants wore potted. 
Borders, Shrubberies, dbc. — Our manure supply is so limited that we were unable to give so liberal a dressing 
as the soil required. 
39,130 plants of ornamental trees and shrubs and general garden plants and annuals were set out during tke 
year in the borders, beds, and shrubberies. 
., . ^ new border, 06 ft. long, was formed near tho carriage shed and planted with herbaceous plan^ 
-ribbon-border fashion. A stone drain of the same length, to carry ofl' the water, and one side to support this 
border, was made here on tho side next tho drive. Another ucaa’ border. Ill ft. long, Avas made near tho larg® 
