Ferdinand von Mueller

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MS written by Carl Wilhelmi and signed by M.

Melbourne bot. & zoological Garden

3 June 1861.

Sir

In submitting the ordinary monthly report on the work in this establishment I have the honor to draw primary your attention to the extensive distribution of plants by which numerous public institutions throughout the colony and such Gentlemen who had been donors to this Garden or had otherwise claims on our reciprocation, have benefitted. — We have alone in the month of May distributed about 30,000 plants and a somewhat larger number of papers of seeds. The former included many thousand stone pines and other excellent species of the fir tribe, Mulberries, Ailanthus, New Zealand flax, Liquorice, several kinds of fruits, Chinese tea and other useful plants, and if those plants are valued only at the small price of 1/­- each,

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MS marginal annotation by J. Brooke, President of the Board of Land and Works and Commissioner of Crown Lands & Survey: 'Preposterous! The plants ordinarily sent out from the Botanic Garden have little or no market value. Dr Mueller is quite right when he says that the ordinary trade of the nurserymen is not interfered with by his operations'.

it must be admitted, that for the outlay caused to Government by this garden already fair return is made, especially when it is considered, that the number of plants to be furnished by us this season will yet considerably increase.

But whilst thus providing for public institutions, especially in the country districts, which are not endowed with the means of purchasing plants, our garden is scarcely interfering with the legitimate trade of the nurserymen, who supply the general wants of private gardens.

The nursery departement having been considerably extended, I found it necessary to divide its superintendence and having by this means raised one of the gardeners to a higher and more responsible position, I beg to be permitted to increase his pay by 1/- a day.

Some plants of considerable interest have been raised during the month.

Of the most gigantic tree of the globe, the Wellingtonia of California, we have not merely obtained rooted plants from cuttings but also what is preferable some fine seedlings, the latter being raised from seeds imported from London and from others received in interchange from Mr Walker of San Francisco. Further novelties in our nursery are the prickly Liquorice, several kinds of Rhubarb, the Soja plant, whilst very many Deodoras have sprung up from seeds received from the Rev. Jam. Smith of Avoca and from Dr. Anderson of Calcutta, thus giving us the means of distributing this noble tree over many parts of this country. A large number of stone pines and other valuable plants have been bedded out for next years supply and we are busily engaged to restock the nursery for next season. — Besides having previously furnished collections of seeds to various foreign gardens and very large supplies to our colonial Institutions, we sent our annual consignments to the botanic Gardens of Madras, Calcutta, Upsala, Christiana,

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Christiania (now Oslo)?

Lund, Copenhagen, Stockholm, Munich, Amsterdam, Petersburg, Berlin, Darmstadt, Marseilles, Vienne,

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i.e. Vienna.

Montpellier, Athens, Bremen, Giessen, Hamburg, Strassburg, Algier, Gent, Dresden, Schwerin, Strelitz, Breslau, Saharumpoor, Boston and Bombay.

In the Palmhouse the Rice paper-plant has for the first time expanded its flowers.

The Misletoe, which became recently destructive to some plant, has been exstirpated as far as this can be done on our ground.

Nearly the whole of the old fences separating the garden from the back-lawns has been removed, and thereby a most cheerful view over the lawns has been opened, the iron fences forming now the boundary of the botanic Garden proper. An additional quantity of iron fences is under work, which not only, as they are likely to last for several hundred years, enhances the value of the property belonging to this establishment, but will also protect infinitely better than the former wooden fences.

The work on the new walk in the northern ground is continued, the road material being brought from the silurian ridges of the opposite bank of the Yarra.

As the animals are likely to be soon removed from the northern ground and yet it will be very important not to loose that area of ground for experimental purposes, it being the only basaltic tract of land now under my control, I have brought the desirability of this ground being permanently allotted to the botanic Garden under the favorable consideration of the hon. the board of Land & works, trusting that you will also be pleased to approve of this measure.

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In a marginal annotation Heales referred this matter to Brooke who minuted his approval on 24 June 1861.

It further occurred to me, that it would be an advantageous arrangement, if I were entrusted with the temporary charge over the reserve between the botanic Garden and Princes Bridge, which is now under no direct control. By being authorized to superintend it, I could see the fences protected, invading cattle impounded, and spend such spare labour as may be at my disposal in improving this locality, which all the more stands in need of it, as it is so near to the metropolis and in so prominent a position.

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Heales also referred this matter to Brooke who again minuted his approval on 24 June 1861.

— At present I have obtained labour from the Immigration depot for picking up the old road in the reserve where wattles and Casuarinas will be sown to afford shade and shelter.

It is my intention to have during the next month a walk marked out leading nearest through our domain to the city. This will be lined with planes. Smaller cross-walks are in course of formation and will be lined with American Locust trees and spreading Poplars. In order to establish as many different hedges as possible for the sake of showing their respective merits I have chosen the Bursaria for lining the fence which separates the domain from the Government House reserve.

A number dead trees have been felled and split by contract; the wood is appropriated for heating the propagating pits and office rooms.

One pair of Ceylon Peacocks, 1 Boor & 1 Mongoose arrived from Ceylon pr "Jeddo"; from China were imported this month by the aid of W. Lyall Esqr. M.L.A. 14 sheep which have since increased by one.

The xvi No. of the fragmenta

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B61.05.02.

is issued and the printing of the flora of Victoria is resumed.

The herbarium is undergoing the final arrangement.

If it meets with your Honors consent, I shall occasionally furnish a note on what at the time may be of more general interest to the public by rotation to the daily papers.

The Honorable the Chief Secretary

&c&c&c

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Heales commented on 8 June 1861: 'Read and generally approved let it be referred to the Hon Commissioner of Lands & Survey [John Henry Brooke] calling his attention to the paragraphs marked | Dr Mueller must be informed that I cannot sanction any increase of pay that will render it necessary to ask for an additional sum for his branch of the department.' The file was ‘referred accordingly’ by the Under Secretary, J. Moore, on 12 June and returned to him on 26 June by the Assistant Commissioner of Crown Lands and Survey, C. Hodgkinson, who drew Moore’s attention as he did so to Brooke's marginal annotations on the report. On 29 June, Heales marked the file ‘Read’. A further note records that M’s request regarding an increase of pay for one of the gardeners was ‘answered’ on 12 June (letter not found).