THE BOTANICAL GARDENS.

Wellington Independent, Volume XXVI, Issue 3184, 27 April 1871, Page 2

THE BOTANICAL GARDENS.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE INDEPENDENT. Sib,— l have read, with some surprise, parts of the leading article in your publication of to-day. It would appear that the writer ia either not awave of the existence of the Botanical Gardens already laid out by the Board of Governors appointed and acting under the Botanical Garden Act, 1869, or that he does not treat it as coming within his idea of what such a garden should offer in the way of attraction to visitors. I hope, in the interests of those who have taken much paina and bestowed much gratuitous labor in pro* viding a pleasant and cheerful place of recreation for the public of thiß city, that the former supposition is the correct one. If this bo so, then I would mention, for the information oLA the writer and any other persons still ignorant^ of the fact, that a botanical garden is now being laid out;in a tract of land still retaining much of its original natural beauty, fronting on the Tiuakori Eoad, and comprising the Botanical Reserve as laid down in the original plan of the city, and a portion of whaHs known as the Wesleyan Reserve adjoining it. This tract has been substantially fenced, some six miles of walks have been cut through it in various directions, seats have been placed for the convenience of visitors partly in open and partly in shady spots, a piece of suitable land has been prepared to carry out the proposed experiments in flax growing, a large extent of the hill side has been made ready for planting foreign trees, chiefly coniferoe ; the main entrance has already been planted with native and foreign evergreen shrubs, — the refuse has in great measure been removed from the existing native bush, so as to encourage the undergrowth, — and much other work has bean done to increase the natural beauty and convenience of the ground. I have taken some part in this work, but 'he chief merit is due to Dr Hector, Mr Ludlam, and Mr Mantell. The former personally superintended the laying out of the walks j Mr Ludlam hns taken great interest in and is superintending the plantations, and is about to contribute largely from his own stock of handsome and valuable exotic flowering shrubs and plants ; and Mr Mantell has already presented large and valuable additions. Strange, too, as it may appear to the writer of yourarticle, the gardens in question qre already visited br great numbers of persons, whose general opinion is favorable as to. what has already been done, nnd what is still in progress. Ib would be satisfactory to those who have taken part in the work, to hear the opinion of the writer of your article on the subject, after he has visited tho gardens, and I have no doubt he will find in Mr Bromley, the resident curator, a courteous exponent of the general design. If, on the other hand (as I can scarcely conceive), the writer treats all that has been done aa worthless or insufficient, I can only express my regret that we should not have succeeded in satisfying his idea of what is requisite. I may hero call attention to one or two mutters in connection with the gardens above referred to, which have caused much regret to the board of governors. In order to render the gardens useful to those who cared to know a little more than the general mass of visitors about the New Zealane flora, they determined to affix labels to the various trees, shrubs, ferns, &c, containing their botanical and native names. These labels are printed on paper enclosed in a zinc frame, and then glazed. The board regrets to observe that these labels are systematically and wantonly destroyed } and, moreover, that vulgar-minded persons, evidently unfit to be admitted to any place of public resort, are in the habit of writing obscenities upon the seats. Disgraceful conduct of this kind is not only a bad return for the gratuitous labors of those who only seek to gratify the public, but is an insult to all rightminded persons, and ought to be checked, both by law and by public opinion. No doubt the governors will endeavor to make an example of the first person whom they can convict of any such offence, but it is to be hoped that the public, who are, after all, far more interested in the success of the undertaking than the governors can possibly be, will aid in putting a stop to such proceedings for the future.— I am, &o, Wm. Thos. Locke Teayebs. "Wellington, 26th April, 1871.