The correspondence of Ferdinand von Mueller: Melbourne botanic & zoologic Garden ¶ 5 November 1860 ¶ Sir ¶ ¶ I have the honor to inform you, that the Committee of the zoological Garden has instructed me to bring under your favorable notice, the...

Document information

Physical location:

B63/4078, unit 749, VPRS 1189/P inward registered correspondence, VA 475 Chief Secretary's Department, Public Record Office, Victoria. 60.11.05d

Preferred Citation:

Ferdinand von Mueller to James McCulloch, 1860-11-05 [60.11.05d]. 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/1860-9/1860/60-11-05d-final.odt>, accessed June 13, 2026

MS written by Carl Wilhelmi and signed by M.

Melbourne botanic & zoologic Garden

5 November 1860

Sir

I have the honor to inform you, that the Committee of the zoological Garden has instructed me to bring under your favorable notice, the annexed shedule of estimates, deemed by the Gentlemen as desirable as a seperate fund for the proposed zoological department.

This sum includes not the special item required for the introduction of Vicunas and pure Alpacas through Mr Charles Ledger, should such meet with your Honors approval.

I beg leave to suggest, that certain reductions of the expenditure of the botanic Garden might be effected in favor of the new establishment without interfering with the efficiency of the botanical Garden.

I have the honor of submitting therefore a new shedule of estimates for the latter, the conjoined sum of both certainly exceeding considerably the amalgamated fund of the botanic and zoologic Garden as proposed in June last for 1861,

M to W. Nicholson, 30 June 1860.

this increase of expenditure owing to the necessity of creating a new office and by the proposed wider extension of the zoological establishment.

I have the honor to be

Sir

your most obedient & humble servant

Ferd. Mueller.

The Honorable the Chief Secretary.

&c&c&c

On 27 June 1863 Under Secretary W. Odgers noted that M's letter had been 'recd from Mr Moore on Mr O'S retiremt'. The 'Mr Moore' was presumably the former Under Secretary, J. Moore, and 'Mr O'S', J. O'Shanassy.

Botanic Garden.

		£.	s.	d.
Salaries & Wages	Government Botanist & Director	600	—	—
	Assistant	300	—	—
	Curator	300	—	—
	Wages to Gardeners, Labourers &c.	4200	—	—

Contingencies.	Purchase of plants & seeds	150	—	—
	Expenses of publishing work on indigenous plants	320	—	—
	Stores, timber, tools, drainmaterial, tanks, flowerpots, labels &c.	420	—	—
	Forage for two drafthorses, singing-birds, emus, waterbirds	290	—	—
	Travelling and incidental expenses and transit expenses for plants	160	—	—
	Towards the formation of a botanical Museum	1600	—	—
	Total. £	8340

Zoological Garden.

		£.	s.	d.
Salaries & Wages	Superintendent	400 4 Superintendent 400 deleted by unknown.	—	—
	Wages	1200 5 1200 deleted and 600 inserted by unknown.	—	—

	Fencing and stabling	1500	—	—
	Introduction of Salmon	500	—	—
	Purchase of useful animals and expenses connected with their introduction	500	—	—
	Forage	150	—	—
	Laying on water & forming ponds	400	—	—
	Stores and incidental expenses	300	—	—
	£	4950

	Introduction of Vicunas and Alpacas