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Physical location:

M4364, unit 18, VPRS 1096 inward correspondence, VA 466 Governor, Public Record Office, Victoria. 64.08.19

Plant names

Preferred Citation:

Ferdinand von Mueller to Charles Darling, 1864-08-19. R.W. Home, Thomas A. Darragh, A.M. Lucas, Sara Maroske, D.M. Sinkora, J.H. Voigt and Monika Wells (eds), Correspondence of Ferdinand von Mueller, <https://vmcp.rbg.vic.gov.au/id/64-08-19>, accessed April 19, 2025

1
On 18 August 1864, Governor Darling sent copies to both M and the Chief Secretary, J. McCulloch, of a request he had received from Sir William Denison, Governor of Madras: 'I find that there is a general call for the different Australian Trees which grow very well on these Hills and indeed generally upon the high land of India and we have denuded the country so fearfully of Timber that we are now beginning to do our best to reclothe it, for if we do not shelter it from the Sun all the irrigated portions will become a desert. Complaints are constantly made of the falling off of the Monsoons and the wells gradually yield less water, so I am turning my attention to planting. Would you be kind enough then to ask Your Commissioner of Lands and Dr Mueller to gather a quantity of the seed of the Eucalyptus that is of all sorts and varieties; also of Acacias, and generally Your Forest Trees and ship them to Madras by the earliest opportunity — the Government will pay all costs and you shall get an official request and assurance by the next Mail.' (G64/8211, unit 101, VPRS 3991 Chief Secretary’s Office, PROV).
McCulloch sent a minute to M on 20 August asking him 'to give immediate attention to the request of Sir W Denison — and let me know by Tuesday morning whether any seeds can be furnished by the outgoing Mail Steamer'. M added a return minute to the file on the same day: 'From the copy of the enclosed letter, adressed to his Excellency Sir Charl. Darling prior to my receiving these documents, the honorable the Chief Secretary will please to observe, that a parcel of seeds, such as at this moment & without direct expense can be furnished from the Melbourne bot Garden is in readiness to be shipped to his Excellency the Governor of Madras by the outgoing mail. The honorable the Chief Secretary will further kindly notice, that only by the disbursement of a special vote the wish of Sir Will. Denison can be to its full extent carried out.' (The not always exact copy of M’s letter to Darling, plus related memoranda, are at G64/8211, unit 101, VPRS 3991 Chief Secretary’s Office, PROV. The copy is annotated: ‘Sent Copy to Sir Wm Denison with private note 24 Sepr 1864'.)
Darling suggested to McCulloch on 22 August 1864: 'If the Cabinet have no objection to sanctioning an advance to the extent suggested by Dr Mueller to be repaid by the Madras Government I would request Dr Mueller to lose no time in obtaining seeds both here & in Tasmania for the purpose of transmission to Madras.’
Darling contacted the Chief Secretary again on 26 August 1864 asking: 'Has the parcel of Seeds been sent?' M was instructed to provide an answer which he did on 27 August in aother minute on the file: 'The seeds referred to by his Excellency's minute have been sent by the mail yesterday to the Madras Government.’
Melbourne botan. Gardens
19/8/64.
Sir Charles
In responding to Your Excellency's note,
2
See C. Darling to M, 18 August 1864.
which reached me this day, I beg to express my fullest readiness to aid Sir Will. Denison in his laudable exertions of naturalizing the rapidly growing Australian timber trees in the Indian highlands for the reestablishment of shelter forests. To give however practical and extensive effect to his Excellency's wish, I regard it as indispensable, that a sum of not less than £100 -. -. (one hundred pounds sterl.) should be rendered available by this or the Madras Government to defray the expenditure which will arise from collecting the desired seeds on a large scale, as a party must be specially sent for the purpose to the forests, and this at various localities. As necessarily the yield under ever so circumspect arrangements must stand mainly in proportion to the outlay, it will be for the consideration of his Excellency the Governor of Madras, whether even the sum indicated will be in proportion to the requirements of seeds for the area to be covered with timber.
The most important tree to be introduced into India for shelter would be the Bluegum tree (
Eucalyptus globulus

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) on account of its huge dimensions and unparalleled rapidity of growth. But it would involve a larger expense to obtain its seeds in Victoria than in Tasmania, where sawmills (for the cutting of its timber) are more accessible than here; and therefore I would beg to advise that at least £30. -. -. (thirty pounds sterling) should be expended in the direct purchases of these seeds from the regular trades at Hobarton, the price ranging usually from £1. 10/-. - to £2. -. -. per lb.
When, after my having rendered the value of Eucalyptus Globulus practically known in South Europe and North Africa, I recently received a considerable remittance from the French Government for securing seeds of this tree for the Haut plateaux of Algeria, I found it most economical to adopt the course suggested for obtaining the larger quantity for the sum transmitted.
Seeds of Casuarinae, various Acaciae, Stringybark-trees and other Eucalypti could be collected in Victoria in Victoria at the respective time of their maturity next season.
I would beg leave to suggest to your Excellency, that the necessity may be pointed out to the Madras Government for arranging as early as ever possible for the extensive and deep ploughing of the lands, on which it is intended to establish the shelter-forests, in order that the seeds when collected and transmitted may speedily be entrusted to the ground, the process of transplanting seedlings of Australian trees safely on a large scale from nurseries being well nigh an impossibility. Hence the seeds of such trees will require to be sown on the spot of their final destination.
Finally I beg to submit a return of the seeds, which I have through my establishment hitherto without any outlay obtained for the Madras presidency, having been aware of Sir Will. Denison's desire to introduce our trees there and having always felt anxious to aid the learned, illustrious and philanthropic ruler of that Colony in his unceasing desire to advance prosperity around him
I have the honor to be,
your Excellencys,
very obedient and humble servant
Ferd. Mueller.
His Excellency
Sir Charl. Darling, K.C.B.
Governor of Victoria
Melbourne botanic Garden
19/8/64
Return of seeds of the Australian trees provided for forest culture to the Government of Madras from the botanic Garden of Melbourne.
Sept. 1861. — 17 kinds of tree seeds in rather large lots.
June 1863 — 59 kinds in comparatively large lots.
March 1864 — 50 seeds of
Araucaria Bidwillii

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and 36 kinds of miscellaneous seeds in large lots
April 1864, A Wardian case with Araucariae
Aug. 1864. Ready for transmission considerable lots of seeds of
Acacia mollissima

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,
Acacia lophantha

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,
3
The copy in the Chief Secretary’s Office files adds Casuarina quadrivalvis at this point.
Casuarina leptoclada

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,
Eucalyptus occidentalis

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, Euc. corynocalyx, and some Euc. Globulus.
Ferd. Mueller, M.D.
Director.
4
See also H. Warde to M, 26 August 1864 (in this edition as 64-08-26a) and M to J. McCulloch, 29 April 1865 (in this edition as 65-04-29a).