Ferdinand von Mueller

1

The letter is dated to after 18 July 1871 on the basis of its content. Charles Gavan Duffy formed a Ministry on 19 June 1871; M was appointed a Commissioner to report on the 'Introduction of branches of rural industry and useful foreign trees' on 18 July 1871 (Victoria Government Gazette, 21 July 1871, p. 1147). Bentham (1863-78), vol. 5, was published in August 1870 (M to G. Bentham, 27 October 1870).

The letter is annotated in pencil '1870-71', presumably by an archivist when the MSS were being sorted for binding.

Melbourne bot. Garden

I am asked, dear Mr Bentham, by Mr Bernays, clerk of the Parliament of Queensland, to bring under your notice, that the Government of that Colony as yet did not receive the 15 copies of Vol. V of the Flora, to which they are entitled: "altho' their subscription has been duly paid"

2

Bernays's letter not found.

— No doubt the fault is with the publishing firm.

It was my intention to have sent an other box with specimens for vol. VI by one of the last clipperships, but meanwhile I have been called by the new Ministry to a seat on a Royal Commission for forest affairs and new industries, and this will leave me for some weeks or perhaps months no leisure for botanic work beyond such as the ordinary routine duties of the Department here bring with them. Still in a few months — at all events — they can be sent.

3

Box 54 had been sent on 14 August 1869; box 55 was not despatched until 21 March 1872 (Notebook recording despatch of plants for Flora Australiensis, RB, MSS, M44, Library, Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne).

I am looking forward with intense interest to the new vol of genera.

4

Bentham & Hooker (1862-83). vol. 2, part 1 was published in April 1873 (TL2).