Document information
Physical location:
N60/1918, unit 748, VPRS 1189/P inward registered correspondence, VA 475 Chief Secretary's Department, Public Record Office, Victoria. 60.02.29Preferred Citation:
Ferdinand von Mueller to William Nicholson, 1860-02-29. 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//letters/1860-9/1860/60-02-29-final.odt>, accessed June 13, 2026
1
MS written by Carl Wilhelmi and signed by M.
29 Febr. 1860.
Sir
In reporting what progress the work in this establishment has made during the past
month, I have the honor to inform you, that the ordinary gardenwork has been proceeded
with, and that also gravel has been lifted in the S.E. part of the Garden and that
the old gravel-pits now after the exhaustion of the Ground have been refilled and
levelled. Material for new roads in the N. Ground has been got in readiness. Thereby
that part of the Garden will be ready to be enclosed into the general ground, as soon
as the iron-fences now under progress of erection are completed. Some of the walkes
in the central part of the garden have been regravelled.
Much of the time of our gardeners has during this distressingly dry month been absorbed
in watering the plants, but notwithstanding we have sustained many losses of young
plants, and have had also a much more scanty harvest of seeds as would have been gathered
in a more favorable season.
The seats and gates have been painted and the tallies throughout the ground have been
revarnished. Some additional seats have been made as well as a rather large fish box
for the Mauritius fish expected by next mail steamer. This fish case is intended to
be moored at the ferry close to the western part of the Garden, where it will be under
constant inspection. Altho' a large fish tank connected with a windmill and pumpworks
for waters supply is now nearly completed, it is still doubtful, whether it will be
quite ready for the safe reception of the fish by the soon expected arrival of the
mail.
This expected importation we again owe to the kindness and circumspect attention of
Edward Wilson Esqr., who has moreover during the month placed us under an other obligation
by sending per Great Britain 44 larks 36 trushes
and 11 pheasants, most of them in good health.
2
thrushes?
Some fencing was erected for the protection of the Kangaroos. The stable in the S.E.
reserve is now almost completed. The Museum building is also finished during the Month,
which will gradually be filled with vegetable products and with the grand Governments
herbarium, as soon as shelves and fittings are provided, for which however no other
means are available than an occasional days work of our Garden Carpenter and such
material as the store vote will admit of to obtain.
To the collections of dried plants has been considerably added by the arrival of a
herbarium from Mr C. Stuart of Clifton, New England,
and by the transmission of an extensive series of plants procured by our collector
Dr Herman Beckler on the rivers Hastings & Macclay and on the adjoining mountains.
3
NSW.
4
Northern NSW.
The Garden experienced this month again the generous support of Sir Will. Hooker of
Kew, who forwarded a case with deciduous-leaved plants and 2260 papers of seeds. A
Wardian Case with living plants was received from the bot. Garden of Hobarton
and an other from Mr Hulke of New Plymouth.
5
Hobart, Tas.
6
NZ.
Our intention of commencing an interchange with the zoologic Garden of Cologne and
Copenhagen, in sending by the "Phoenix" a pair of black Swans to each Garden respectively,
was unfortunately frustrated by the loss of that fine ship.
Five Llamas are born during the month and 1 Wombat has been added to the Menagerie.
A collection of dried plants was dispatched per "Marion" to the botanical Museum of
Paradenia
in reciprocation for a fine collection thence received last year.
7
Paradeniya, Ceylon (Sri Lanka).
The XI No. of the fragmenta phytographiae Australiae
has been published and some additional plates for the flora of Victoria
are also completed.
8
B60.02.02.
9
B62.03.03.
Since the Government Printer obtained lately a supply again of the requisite printing-paper,
the progress of the above work will now not likely be interrupted again.
10
See Cavanagh (1988).
The number of the Sunday Visitors in February has been on account of the hot weather
only 10,795 in the northern and 4070 in the Southern Ground.
I have the honor to be
Sir
your most obedient & humble Servant
Ferd. Mueller
The Honorable the Chief Secretary
&c &c &c
11
MS annotation by the Under Secretary, J. Moore, on 3 March 1860: 'Read'.