Document information

Physical location:

67/5646, unit 98, VPRS 44 inward registered and unregistered correspondence, VA 538 Department of Crown Lands and Survey, Public Record Office, Victoria. 67.04.04

Preferred Citation:

Ferdinand von Mueller to James McCulloch, 1867-04-04. 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/1860-9/1867/67-04-04-final.odt>, accessed June 9, 2026

1
Written by Theodor Mueller. This copy was attached to M's letter to James McCulloch, 21 April 1867 (in this edition as 67-04-21g). The original letter has not been found.
Melbourne botan. Gardens
4/4/67
Sir
Observing that this day some information is required respecting the distribution and cost of the Fragmenta Phytographiae Australiae I have the honor, in anticipation of an official request to furnish the return as far as it concerns this Office.
For this work, published in 500 copies, the plates are furnished by my department, while the letterpress is the work of the Government Printing Office. For the five volumes hitherto issued 44 Plates are drawn under my direction, the work of the draftsman and Lithographer involving an expenditure of five pounds Sterlg. for each plate and the lithographic printing of 500 copies three pounds Sterlg, in total therefore the expenditure of the 44 plates for the 500 copies of each of the 5 volumes (2500 volumes) of the work has been £352.0.0. Besides 25 Proof copies are drawn off for immediate distribution to the principal contributors of plants towards the work. Whenever a volume was completed eighty copies were granted for distribution to this establishment for interchanges with other scientific institutions or to gentlemen, who have rendered important services to the botanical department. The list has undergone slight modifications every two years, but the one here submitted is that one on which the distribution is based, though deaths etc. will alter it from time to time. The binding of the volumes is also effected by the Government Printing Department, which effects moreover the sale. I may mention that any copies I require for private use I invariably purchase from my private means, about £60 having hitherto been spent in the purchase of my works, issued here, by myself. Mr Baillière has for some years effected the sale in Europe.
2
Either Hippolyte Baillière in London or his uncle Jean-Baptiste Baillière in Paris, or a collaboration between them.
The results of the sale pass to the treasury and the monetary transactions are entirely carried out by the Governm. Printing Office, and thus my Department derives from them no return.
It is also to be born in mind, that the Fragmenta and other works of mine have been largely presented as donations, whenever occasion arose either of distinguishing visitors coming to Victoria or in reciprocation for donations to the Public Library, or as an acknowledgement of services rendered to the Colony. Such donations are made under the authority of a Minister of the Crown. From the unbound copies fascicles are distributed distributed
3
Word repeated.
at my direction for plants given by donors to my Museum according to circumstances, it being now generally known that collecting thus is stimulated by these literary records. The Museum the sole property of the State is, as a phytologic one, maintaining one of the highest ranks on the globe, about 300,000 prepared plants being continued in it.
I have the honor to be
Sir
your most obedient servant
4
The copy is unsigned.
The honorable the Chief Secretary
5
The letter and list were furnished in response to G. P. Smith's notice in the Legislative Assembly on 3 April reported in the press next day (e.g. Argus, 4 April 1867, p. 5) that he would move for a return detailing the cost of the Fragmenta, the number of copies sold, given away and remaining on hand and to whom they had been presented. M sent this letter before receiving an official request. The official letter from the Clerk of the Legislative Assembly was referred to M on 15 April 1867 by J. Moore, Under Secretary. M marked the letter: 'Request complied with, as far as the Office of the Director of the botanic Garden is concerned. 22/4/67. Ferd. Mueller'. See also the further letter sent by M to J. McCulloch, 21 April 1867 (in this edition as 67-04-21g). The Government Printer responded on 8 May 1867 giving cost of printing and publishing, £591.4.6; the number sold 64, with 38 volumes held by booksellers on sale or return; and the number of copies on hand, vol 1 nil, 2 60 copies, 3 194 copies, 4 200 copies, 5 355 copies, total 809 volumes. He noted that all copies issued by the Government Printer had been upon authorized requisitions.
List
referred to within.
Return of fragment. Phytog. Austral.
distributed
Colonial Office London
Botanic Gardens
Ceylon
Bombay
Kopenhagen
Petersburg
Schoenbrun
6
Schönbrunn, Vienna.
Kew
Sydney
Brisbane
Adelaide
Madras
Utrecht
Montpellier
Boston
Breslau
Berlin
Dresden
Upsala
Munich
Halle
Sir Henry Barkly
Sir Rich. Macdonell
Sir W. Denison
C. J. La Trobe Esqr.
Dr Hance, Wampoa (contributor)
Prof. Lindley (since dead)
W. Woolls, Esqr., Paramatta (contribut.)
Editor of
Walpers Annales
"
Candolle's Prodromus
"
Bonplandia
"
Gardeners Chronicle
Dr. W. Sonder Hamburg.
A.Thozet, Rockhampton, (contribut.)
Sir Charl. Nicholson.
A. Oldfield, Esqr (contributor)
Miss Louisa Atkinson (conribut.)
Prof.
Meisner, Basel.
"
Brogniart
7
i.e. Brongniart.
Paris
"
Decaisne "
"
Roeper Rostock
"
Harvey Dublin (since dead)
"
Heer Zurich
Jul. Haast, Esqr (contributor)
F. Krichauff (contributor)
Petermanns Geograph Institute, Gotha
German Association Melbourne
Smithsonian Institute
Botanical
Society,
Canada.
"
Ratisbon.
"
Edinburgh.
"
Vienna.
Royal
Society
Victoria.
"
"
Tasmania.
"
"
Mauritius.
Cambridge Philosophical Society
Philosophical Society Sydney.
Medical Society, Victoria.
Pharmaceutical Society, Victoria.
Imperial Academy, Jena
Royal Academy, Stockholm.
Physical Society, Erlangen
Naturalists
Society,
Palatinate
"
"
Herzynia
8
Natural Science Union of the Harz [i.e. Hercynia], Blankenburg (Naturwissenschaftlicher Verein des Harzes).
"
"
Hamburg.
Linnean
Society
London
Silesian
"
Breslau.
Royal
"
London.
"
"
Edinburgh
"
Geographical Society.
The
Government
of
Chile.
"
"
"
Java.
Academy of Sciences Paris
Royal Irish Academy.
Prof. Forchhammer (since dead)
Bibliotheque du Louvre.
Academy of Sciences, Berlin
The
honorable
the
Chief Secretary.
"
"
"
Treasurer
Philosophical Society Adelaide.