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68/R6871, unit 438, VPRS 1207/P000 inward registered correspondence, VA 865 Department of the Treasurer, Public Record Office, Victoria. 68.09.19aPreferred Citation:
Ferdinand von Mueller to Edward Symonds, 1868-09-19 [68.09.19a]. 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/68-09-19a>, accessed April 19, 2025
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Attached to the letter is 1. a 'Requisition for Articles not included in the Annual
Contracts for the Department of [obscured]' form completed by E. B. Heyne and signed by M on 19 September 1868 for 'One hundred copies of annual Report and Garden catalogue for transmission to the Agent General
for Victoria in London'; and 2. an 'Application for Advance' form filled out by E.
B. Heyne and signed by M on 19 September 1868, 'To defray expenses connected with
the Transmission of vegetable raw materials &c to the Agent General London and procuring the same'.
Although the published Report (B69.07.03) included a map of the gardens with the location
of the principal plantations, the full catalogue was not published. The MS is transcribed
as 'Garden-Catalogue 1868' in the 'manuscripts' section of this website.
19 Sept. 68
Sir
I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 18. inst.,
conveying a desire of the honorable the Minister of Finances, that certain vegetable
raw materials and other indigenous vegetable products may be provided as far as possible
by my establishment for the Agent General of the Colony in England.
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Marginal annotation: '4643'. The letter is recorded in the register of outward correspondence
of the Treasurer’s Department (unit 6, VPRS 1215, Public Record Office, Victoria),
but has not been found.
In reply I have the honor to suggest
1, that all duplicates of vegetable raw materials, including timber specimens, may
be obtained from the collections located in the intercolonial Exhibition Building,
and that, as far as size and quantity will admit of it, a division of larger specimens
or samples may take place, with a view of forwarding a portion of such articles to
England in accordance with the wishes of the honorable the Treasurer.
2, As regards the formation of casts or models of fruits and vegetables I have the
honor to point out, that only a series of solitary specimens is contained in the Exhibition
Collection. It would thus be needful, to have successively such fruits and vegetables
moulded anew, whenever opportunities for obtaining any of superior excellence present
themselves. This measure would involve the direct expense of engaging periodically
the services of an artist.
3, In reference to samples of Corn, Flax, Silk, Tea, Tobacco,
Cigars, Wines, Oils, Barks, Perfumes and dried fruits I would beg leave to observe,
that gradually more or less of all these vegetable articles might be furnished from
my establishment, should its resources not become very much decreased. The preparation
of a very extensive series of such varied products will however be an object requiring
for accomplishment a lengthened period.
4, Respecting seeds of indigenous plants it will be not difficult to prepare many
collections, if it is possible to continue one man and one boy engaged for the service
of gathering, drying, cleaning and assorting seeds, as in former years. The new seedharvest
will commence about November and be to some extent completed in April, when larger
collections could be prepared of such fresh seeds, while smaller lots of the seeds
of the former harvest could meanwhile be provided. The Agent General moreover would
be in an extremely favorable position to effect for some of these seed collections
a return of seeds of other countries, by which means the botanic Garden and in many
instances the colony at large might be enriched.
Should the honorable the treasurer be pleased to accede to these suggestions it would
be necessary
5, that an authority be obtained to remove with consent of the Exhibition Commissioners
the duplicates and parts of samples now in their custody.
6, to provide a limited fund to commence operations of removal and of division, to
provide glasses, cases and other means of packing such articles, to engage the occasional
services of an artist to model fruits &c, to effect the preliminaries for shipments
&c. If thus the sum of sixty pounds
was placed at my disposal as an advance, I would employ it as economically and as
advantageously as possible, and render in due time an accurate account of such expenditure.
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Marginal annotation: '£60'.
7, To give final practical effect to the measure, desired by the hon. the Treasurer
I would solicit to be informed, whether ( – as perhaps the simplest course – ) the
shipments are to be effected by myself and if so to what adress the articles are to
be sent in London. For such first shipment the Great Britain might afford a very favorable
opportunity.
8, For facilitating the interchanges of seeds through the mediation of the Agent General
in London, the issue of the new Garden Catalogue now under the press (as an appendix
to my annual report) will afford very much facility. Hence I venture to submit a requisition
for one hundred (100) extra copies of that document, to be struck off for the use
of Mr Verdon.
9, It might be worthy of the consideration of the honorable the Treasurer, whether
not one hundred or more copies of the Exhibition Volume ought be transmitted to the
Agent General, in as much as these volumes contain detailed demonstrative information
not only on the vegetable products, but also on other resources of the colony, which
information would best illustrate the articles to be sent for the use of the Agent
General, with a view of diffusing information on our colony.
I have the honor to be
Sir,
your very obedient
Ferd. von Mueller
The Under Treasurer