The correspondence of Ferdinand von Mueller: ¶ [Letters were read … from Dr. Mueller, stating that he had forwarded a box containing a thousand plants for the Ballarat Botanical Garden, some of them being of great value. ¶ ]...

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Physical location:

61.06.00f

Preferred Citation:

Ferdinand von Mueller to the East Ballarat Municipal Council, 1861-06 [61.06.00f]. 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/1860-9/1861/61-06-00f-final.odt>, accessed June 13, 2026

Letter not found. For the text given here, see Times (Ballarat), 5 June 1861, p. 2, under ‘Correspondence’ in a report of the meeting of the East Ballarat Municipal Council held on 4 June 1861. M’s letter was also reported, with somewhat less detail, in the Ballarat Star, 5 June 1861, p. 1 S.

[Letters were read … from Dr. Mueller, stating that he had forwarded a box containing a thousand plants for the Ballarat Botanical Garden, some of them being of great value.

The report continued: ‘It appeared that by some mistake the plants had been sent to the Western Botanical Gardens whereas they had been applied for by the Eastern Council for the planting of the Melbourne road and other places. The matter was referred to the Public Works Committee’.

The following item appeared in the Star, 12 June 1861, p. 2:

The Eastern Council appear to be suffering from arboriferous embarras de richesses. A thousand or so plants have been sent up by Dr Mueller for the Eastern Council, without that body ever taking the trouble to ask for them. What to do with the magnificent present is now the puzzle, unless the Council can plant the slude (sic: sludge?) channel or turn the cricket ground to ornamental account. The Melbourne road has been planted and can take no more, and the plants lately arrived have been handed over to Messrs Lang & Co. for custody pro tem., that firm intending to distribute them, we believe, through their nurseries till wanted.

At the meeting of the Council on 9 July, a request was received from the Secretary of the Ballarat Hospital, asking to have some of trees and shrubs to plant in their grounds (Star, 10 July 1861, p. 1 S).

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