Ferdinand von Mueller

Melbourne botanic Garden,

2 Aug. 1862

Sir

I have the honor of submitting to you a brief report on the progress of the work in the botanical gardens during the past month.

Altho' the season is so far advanced we have still supplied during the month very many public institutions with plants from our nurseries, the supply having been more extensive than in any other previous year. I have also arranged for the restoring of our nursery ground, which for the greater part is provided now for next years supply. Of the Italian pine about 25,000 plants have been replanted and arrangements have been made to place many thousands of select pines, raised from seeds, into pots for facility of subsequent transplanting. Some labels have been painted; drains have been put into that part of the Class ground, where the stagnant water mostly accumulated; about 300 rare pines are now planted this season on the Yarra brow and about 3000 miscellaneous plants have been planted around the Observatory ground. The formation of the Western Walk has also been proceeded with, and simultaneously the edge of the declivity along it is lined with basalt bolders. As usual at this season the borders are dug, the edgings mended or renewed and new plants transferred from the nurseries to the general ground. And as now the spring plants are bursting into blossom, especially the numerous kinds of Acaciae cultivated at the Garden, the aspect of the Ground in its vernal freshness is most pleasing.

Interchanges with kindred institutions continue as before. The most important contributions to the garden during the month have been an extensive assortment of seeds of chiefly useful plants from the Jardin du Bois de Boulogne at Paris, cases with New Zealand plants from New Plymouth and Evergreen Oaks, imported from London.

The scientific researches of the department are also uninterruptedly progressing. Thus the 19 number of the fragmenta phytographiae Australiae has been published,

1

B62.07.01.

and all the plants required for the elaboration of the first volume of the Universal Australian Flora to be published in London

2

Bentham (1863-78).

have now been arranged & transmitted on loan to Mr Geo. Bentham, President of the Linnean Society. Of the magnitude and importance of our state-collection of dried plants an estimate has been formed from the fact, that material to be elaborated for this volume & furnished from the Melbourne botanical Museum comprises 123 large fascicles. Some collections are also on the eve of transmission to Paris, where the celebrated Brogniart desired to compare some of our tropical plants in the elaboration of his Flora of New Caledonia;

3

i.e. Brongniart. See Brongniart & Gris (1863); Brongniart & Gris (1863a); Brongniart & Gris (1865), Brongniart & Gris (1865a); Brongniart & Gris (1870-71).

other collections are forwarded to Geneve for the purpose of aiding M. De Candolle in the publication of his forthcoming volume of the prodromus systematis vegetabilium.

4

i.e. Prodromus systematis naturalis regni vegetabilis . See also M to A. de Candolle, 18 August 1862 (in this edition as 62-08-18b).

The honorable the Chief Secretary

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