“ Avocada pear,” planted nut iu the Economic Gai den some years a go, 
where their growth stood almost stationary, have been removed to the 
nursery just named, and have grown with extraordinary rapidity. 
15. — Plants from seed of the Lima Bean of Brazil have been grown in 
the nursery with great success, and form a desirable addition to our vegeta- 
ble supply. The names of other vegetables which have succeeded in the 
nursery were given in last year’s report and need not he repeated here. 
16. — A number of useful and interesting economic plants were re- 
ceived during the year from the Royal Hardens, lvew, but as these are 
still small and have so far been kept in pots for safety, it is too soon to 
make any special reference to tlieir likely merits. 
17. — A quantity of nutmegs and cloves have been introduced from 
their native habitat as fresh stock for experimental purposes. Plants of 
Peach, Apricot, Grape Vine, Olives, and Pigs in variety have been ordered 
from Sydney, but the season of the year there when the order arrived not 
admitting of the despatch of the plants, they were not received with- 
in the year, and therefore fall to the share of next year’s report. 
18. — I may be permitted to mention in this connexion that, although 
there are some good specimen plants in the gardens, a point is not being 
made of growing such plants to the exclusion of propagation, the object of 
the gardens being to introduce desirable plants into the Colony and 
cultivate them for such length of time only as will demonstrate their adapta- 
bility or otherwise for cultivation in the soil and climate ot the Settle- 
ments, and to propagate such as appear suitable, for distribution to culti- 
vators and specimen growers. 
19. — Improvements in the Grounds . — Having, under this heading, 
to refer to the Exhibition House, I would make brief mention of the Mower 
Show' held in January of the year under report, the plants and other objects 
sent to which, were, for the first time, accommodated here. The ground 
design of the house looked well when tilled with the various exhibits. 
20. — The show was in itself a great success, notwithstanding the in- 
clement state of the weather which prevailed during the Exhibition. The 
illumination of the show by electric and other lights was very effective. 
21. — After the show, the roof put up for sheltering the exhibits was 
so modified as to admit of the house being temporarily filled with pot 
plants, and although these are now being removed to make way for the 
construction of a permanent roof, it is sufficiently proved that the design 
meets well the double purpose for which it was made. 
22. — Hoads and Walks. — Early in the year, the new approach to 
the Exhibition house was heavily coated with late rite over its whole 
surface and rolled to solidity by the aid of a heavy four-bullock roller, 
kindly lent by the Municipality. The paths in the house were also 
metalled in the same way. A temporary stair, partly in wood, has been 
put down in the grass bank opposite the entrance to the house. The 
unclimbable iron railing which surrounded the propagation nursery 
has been removed anti placed around the exhibition building, being sub- 
stituted in its former position by a bamboo hedge. 
23. — The front entrance walk, which has a breadth of twenty-two 
feet, has been dug up, levelled, remodelled and well laid with laterite over 
an area of 7,800 square yards. 
