Document information

Physical location:

A91/12487, unit 22, VPRS 619 Secretary's Correspondence Files, VA 538 Department of Crown Lands and Survey, Public Record Office, Victoria. 91.07.19a

Preferred Citation:

Ferdinand von Mueller to James Stirling, 1891-07-19 [91.07.19a]. 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/91-07-19a>, accessed April 20, 2025

19/7/91.
In the quietness of the Sunday, dear Mr Stirling, I have written what appears to me the best finishing off for your highly valuable Report from a rural point of view.
1
See M to J. Stirling, 19 July 1891 (in this edition as 91-07-19b). In December 1890, M made a formal proposal to the Chief Secretary, A. McLean, that Stirling, then the Lands Department officer at Bright, Vic, be commissioned to report on the feasibility of extending rural settlement into Victoria's alpine country (see M to A. McLean, 10 December 1890). Stirling submitted his report, 'Notes on the climate and soils of the Australian Alps with reference to the suitability of the higher altitudes for rural settlements, with addenda by Baron Von Mueller', on 24 July 1891. The report was never published but a summary was published in the Age, 14 August 1891, p. 6.
It is better, to do this in a readable form, than to give a dry list of plants, especially as that would become very long, if it was to be complete. It will be important, that Mr Howitt should introduce this report by a memorandum from his own experience .
2
See M to A. Howitt, 19 July 1891.
Regardfully your
Ferd. von Mueller.
It would be desirable, that the exact area of the Victorian Alps should be calculated for this Report.