Ferdinand von Mueller

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MS written by Carl Wilhelmi and signed by M. MS file annotation by the Under Secretary, J. Moore, 9 June 1860: 'Read'.

Melbourne bot. & zoolog. Garden

5 June 1860.

Sir

I have the honor of submitting to you a brief report on the progress of the work in this department during the last month.

The 12 No. of the fragmenta phytogr. Australiae has been issued,

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B60.05.01.

comprising a critical essay on the extratropical Australian Eucalypti, by which it is hoped, future observations on the timber, gum, oil or bark of these trees may be reduced to solid bases. Some additional plates and pages of the work on "the plants of Victoria" have been prepared.

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B62.03.03.

Young plants of less common or new ornamental or useful shrubs or trees have been planted out throughout the whole cultivated portion of our ground, by which means in due course of time a greater variety in our shrubberies and aboreta will be obtained. The nursery furnished during this month many thousand plants to public institutions throughout the colony, and from our seed magazine were likewise extensive contributions obtained. The nursery ground is doubly enlarged and for the greater part now restocked with seeds and cuttings, to meet the increasing demands next years.

Blue Gums and spreading Poplars have been planted along two of the main walkes in the Northern Ground. An Elm avenue has been formed along the S.E. verge of our reserve. Attention has likewise been given to the plantations in the domain between Princes Bridge and the botanic Garden. The new iron-fences have been nearly completed as far as the fund available in this establishment rendered the extension possible, and since the honorable the board of lands & works have kindly sanctioned the erection of additional 44 rods, we will be able to include two acres of the reserve at the S. West part of the garden for the purpose of establishing a continuous curve of iron fences around the main gardens, thereby adding to the extent of the class-ground. The Commencement is made for laying out the ground around the office into an orchard, with a view of having a plant of any approved kind of vine or fruit trees in our collection. The landscape-beauty of the spot however will remain unimpaired, as the fruit-plants will only be interspersed between native and planted evergreen trees and shrubs.

Some walkes have been laid out on the reserve, whereby the turf, destroyed on bare spots, by sowing of clover & ryegrass will remain less trodden than before. The lawn around the Orchestra has also been laid out in fresh turf. The Chamomile edgings have been extensively renewed and about thousand species of annual seeds have been sown.

The fishtank in the N. Ground has been put in readiness for the reception of any of the salmon fry, expected to arrive by the "S. Curling", and which may require temporary attention, until transferred to the Tasmanian streams.

The singing birds, which arrived pr "Norfolk" during the month, came in an equally deplorable condition as those, which were shipped pr "Maidstone",

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See M to W. Nicholson, 3 May 1860.

yet we sustained amongst the survivers, which were landed but few losses, having made a temporary apartment for their reception in the Palm house. Two Alpacas were born during May.

Manyfold contributions were lately made to the gardens; the most important being a collection of deciduous trees from Hamburgh, from London and from Camden, seeds from Vienne and London and Albany.

An application for stages to receive the public herbarium at the museum building has been made to the Hon. the Chief Commissioner of public-works and as soon as these will be granted and furnished the scientific collections may be thrown open for public inspection.

The Honorable the Chief Secretary.

&c &c &c