Document information
Physical location:
H87/3273, unit 272, VPRS 3992/P inward registered correspondence, VA 475 Chief Secretary's Department, Public Record Office, Victoria. 87.04.02Preferred Citation:
Ferdinand von Mueller to Thomas Wilson , 1887-04-02. 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/87-04-02>, accessed April 21, 2025
Melbourne,
2 April 1887.
The Under Secretary,
Melbourne.
Sir.
In reply to your communication of the 30 March
I have the honor to inform you, that I hope in not very many weeks to finish the
manuscripts for the first part of the "key to the system of Victorian plants."
The task of elaborating this portion of the work according to the dichotomous method
has proved far more onerous and time-taking, than was anticipated; and as in the required
numeration many references to the numbers quite to the end of the work must be quoted
already in the commencing and subsequent pages, no portion of the manuscript can go
to press til the whole is completed.
1
T. Wilson to M, 30 March 1887, a letter that seems to have been prompted by a letter from Stanley Dobson to the
Acting Chief Secretary(?) dated 23 March 1887. T. Wilson to S. Dobson, 30 March 1887,
was written 'by direction, to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 23rd instant
on the subject of the Key to Victorian Plants which is being compiled by the Government
Botanist and to inform you that inquiries are being made in the matter, the result
of which will be communicated to you in due course' (No.1248, p. 1155, unit 76, VPRS
1187/P, outward registered correspondence, VA 475 Chief Secretary's Department, Public
Record Office of Victoria).
2
B88.11.02.
I avail myself also of this opportunity to point out, that the last season has been
a very labourious one in the Department, in as much as the rainy spring, such as had
not occurred for many years, brought out a profuse vegetation so that to the numerous
sendings from the interior, by which our collections became enriched, some attention
had also to be given, irrespective of the manyfold professional and routine work,
daily arising in the department for rural and other interests. The New Guinea plants,
sent to the Department for examination, have hardly as yet been touched, but the Lithographer
was kept going in his engagements.
Furthermore I beg to mention, that this season only the remotest part of Gippsland
East could be searched for material to complete the key, that region not being readily
accessible before.
I have spent more time on this work, as from its subsequent issue may be apparent;
but I felt, that a hasty compilation, such as might quickly have been produced, would
be neither in accord with the dignity of the Department nor with real usefulness afterwards.
I have the honor to be
your obed. serv.
Ferd. von Mueller.
3
M to T. Wilson, 20 May 1887, is a follow-up report on progress.