Ferdinand von Mueller

20/5/64.

Dear Dr Eades.

I am advised to apply to you as Chairman of the Health-Committee of the City Council to learn, whether I could not obtain some aid from your respected municipal Colleagues to effect the planting of a row of trees between the footbridge of the botanic Garden & the Railway station in Richmond paddock & to repair simultaneously the path leading from one spot to the other. There is constantly a boat available for crossing the Yarra at the footbridge & hence the path is much traversed, altho never made again after the disastrous flood. The line of trees might be established this autumn, so that when the new Iron bridge is built they will be already in a growing state. I can furnish the necessary tree guards from my department and can supply the skilled labour for planting the trees; but I find it a hard case to do more, as the ground is municipal one & as moreover all my spare labour ought to be concentrated to efface the devastations of the flood on my own ground

I have a number of nice Elms in readiness to be planted if the City Council would grant some aid. I should require a cart & horse for bringing soil to the spot & for raising the path & gravelling it again also the labour of one man for some weeks. If £30 were granted towards the expense I would do the rest.