BOTANIC GARDEN BOARD, 1883-84 (FIFTEENTH ANNUAL REPORT OF).

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1884 Session II, H-11

H.—ll

Sess. 11. —1884. NEW ZEALAND.

BOTANIC GARDEN BOARD, 1883-84 (FIFTEENTH ANNUAL REPORT OF).

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency.

Meetings of the Board were held during the past year on the following dates : The 3rd August, 1883 ; the 20th December, 1883 ; and the 20th March, 1884. The expenditure during the year has been £431 os. 8d; the chief items being as follows: The shrubberies were cleaned and forked over at the proper season in early spring; the fences were put in repair, and several new screen fences of tea-tree were erected; the entrance has been improved by cutting away the bank and removing a large quantity of earth and gravel. In September last, owing to the level of the Tinakori Road being altered, it was necessary to erect a breastwork to support the bank. The gates and other wood-work, and also the ranger's cottage, have been repainted. A large amount of labour has been devoted to the nursery-ground, and very large stocks of the best species of forest trees have been raised for distribution to various public reserves. The progagation of the best varieties of the olive and other useful plants has been continued, the expense of this work and the preparation of the necessary ground for future operation in the same direction being defrayed from a special grant from the Minister of Lands. The batten house, which has proved of great service in raising plants that are unable to stand full exposure to the sun and wind, has been thoroughly repaired, and experience has proved that such inexpensive structures are quite as valuable as glass-houses for the particular purpose in view, and that no forest nursery should be without one. It is proposed, as soon as the state of the funds at the disposal of the Board will permit, to give increased accommodation of this kind. The number of plants distributed to public bodies this season has been 3,225 well-established trees, besides many thousands of smaller-sized plants. The number sold has been 1,818. The stock now on hand is 2,800 trees in the second year and about 6,000 seedlings which have been once shifted; and, in addition, the seed beds are full of young trees of the present season, most of which are Cupressus lawsonii and macrocarpa, raised from seed collected from the trees grown in the gardens. Seeds and in some cases trees have been largely supplied to the Railway Department during the year, and local nurseries have been established by the department in connection w Tith the various sections of the railways throughout the colony, where a stock will be raised for planting the railway reserves and also for local distribution. The seeds imported by Government for the current season, at the suggestion of the Board, have been chiefly selected from the Eastern States of America, and have been freely distributed to all public domains, and to persons in all parts of the colony who have facilities for raising them. By this means a vast amount of progress is quietly made in stocking the colony with forest trees. The Board has to acknowledge valuable gifts of plants and seeds from the following: The Hon. Mr. Mantell, Mr. T. Mason, Captain Fairchild, Mr. J. Harding, Mr. W. G. McCullough, (Australia), Sir Norman Campbell, and Dr. Hector. The Hon. Treasurer's statement of accounts is appended, and shows a balance to the credit of the Board of £238 12s. Id. Approved by the Board. Wm. F. Deummond Jeevois, Chairman. James Hectoe, 30th September, 1884. Manager.

Accounts op Botanic Garden Board, 1883-84. Receipts. Expenditure. £ s. d. £ s. d. Balance in hand on 3rd August, 1883 .. 195 14 4 Garden work (including keeper's salary, Share of rents from Wellington city reserves, nursery work, roads, and preparation of 1st October, 1882, to 81st September, 1883 246 10 3 ground for special purposes) .. .. 388 6 9 Contribution from Government .. .. 200 0 0 Purchase of plants .. .. .. 6 0 0 Sale of plants and flowers .. .. .. 23 8 2 Materials—paint; ironwork, tools, and misSale of hay ... .. ... .. 400 cellaneous .. .. .. .. 21 13 11 Purchase of horse .. .. .. 15 0 0 _•>■ Balance .. .. .. 238 12 1 £669 12 9 £069 12 9

Aethub Stock, 29th September, 1884. . Hon. Treasurer.

By Authority : Geokge Didsbuby, Government Printer, Wellington.—lBB4.