EX-ESTABLISHMENT. 
45. — Government Mouse Grounds. — The year has seen a complete 
transformation of the old plant-houses and system of housing plants, so 
long practised at Government House. 
46. — The whole plant collection has been transferred to a new nursery 
opened at a reasonable distance from the House. In this nursery, four 
new plant sheds have been erected, on an improved principle, and in these 
the ferns and other plants thrive well. 
47. — The nursery made is about an acre in extent and has been filled 
with a variety of plants useful for cut-flowers, ornament, &c. Small walks 
have been made through the nursery connected at certain points by 
terrace stairs in brick. A walk about thirty yards in length and six feet 
in breadth has been made to connect the nursery with the approach lead- 
ing to Government House from the back entrance and planted on each 
side with Bidwell’s Pine. This walk, together with the principal walks 
throughout the nursery, have been coated with iaterite. 
48. — A large assortment of Chinese green-ware pots has been purchas- 
ed, and the whole collection of plants re-potted. A considerable number of 
crotons and other ornamental foliage plants suitable for internal decoration 
have been purchased, in addition to collections of similar plants supplied 
from the Botanic Gardens. 
* 
49. — The flower-bed design below the bower lias been re-modelled. 
50. — A number of shrubs which had become overgrown and leggy 
have been removed from the lawns, and re-placed by more ornamental speci- 
mens. The lawn tennis grounds have been top-dressed and the adjoining 
flower beds re-planted and re-designed. Two large fig trees on the lawn 
which obstructed the view of the harbour from the house have been top- 
ped. The walks and lawns have been maintained in good order through- 
out the year. 
51. — During the visit of H. 11. H. Prince Oscar of Sweden, he plant- 
ed, at the request of H. E. the Acting Governor, a palm tree ( Caryota urens) 
near the position of those planted last year by Princes Edavard and 
George oe Wales. 
52. — Esplanade.— That portion of the Esplanade lying between the 
road and the sea, and extending from near llafiies Institution to Cavenagli 
Bridge, has been levelled, reduced to* a regular slope seaivards, and closely 
laid with turf. In this work, upwards of 2,000 cart-loads of soil were used, 
and 1,000 cart-loads of grass. The levelling being completed, the pillars 
along the footpath were removed and placed further back to widen the 
path and thereby render it a more useful and agreeable promenade. To 
finish, a number of garden benches were distributed in shady positions 
beneath trees over the lawn. 
53. — Public Offices . — The grounds surrounding the extension of the 
Colonial Secretary’s Office and neAV Harbour Office have been levelled, 
turfed, and decorated Avitli flower-beds involving considerable work. 
54. — Dhoby Green. — Dhohy Green has undergone a complete 
change during the vear. Its condition had for some time been consi- 
O O t, 
dered unsatisfactory, and in the early part of the year the Government 
« 
