Ferdinand von Mueller

Newyears eve 1879

It will afford me much pleasure, dear Sir George, to procure for you the Decades of the Eucalypts Atlas, which here appeared,

1

The first four Decades of M's Eucalyptographia were published in 1879 (B79.13.11).

and I will write to the West Austr. Government about the portion of the work, done for the colony there, but published in London.

2

B79.13.10.

The Report on the Wattel-barks

3

B78.14.01.

shall be forwarded simultaneously, also seeds of the best Tanners Wattels.

I am much beholden to you for sending me the charming book "his island home",

4

J. Grey (1879).

which makes me all the more deeply regret, that my anticipation to spend with you a few weeks exploring in New Zealand could not be realized 20 years ago, when you so generously invited me. I had then just undertaken to form a large Department for the Vict. Government, which for a dozen years rendered this colony so far illustrious, but which through envey and nepotism led finally to my undeserved ruin, so that now late in life it is with deep regret of mine that I choose Victoria as a home.

Had I then responded to your friendly call, it would have fallen to my share to make known nearly the whole of the alpine flora of your grand island. But I did not like to infere

5

interfere?

with Sir Jos. Hooker, to whom more particularly N.Z. belonged as a phytographic territory.

You did me the honor to say, dear Sir George, that you had actually read through the whole of my "select plants". An enlarged edition is just issued by a [Nort] Government in the Northern hemisphere.

6

Presumably the Indian edition, B80.13.07.

I still think, that the reissue of the work (now enlarged) in N.Z. and its extensive distribution among the colonists, would open mines of vegetable wealth now lying concealed. The book is still quite unique and N.Z. is quite welcome to reproduce it.

7

The book was not published in NZ. For discussions about the proposal see M to J. Hector, 10 August 1874, and G. Cooper to M, 6 October 1874 (in this edition as 74-10-06b); M to G. Cooper, 3 November 1874 and notes thereto; and M to G. Grey, 12 July 1877.