Ferdinand von Mueller

20/6/68

I am as unfortunate, dear Dr Hooker, to get my Ward's Cases back as yourself.

1

No surviving 1868 letter from Hooker mentions Wardian cases.

I have annually some made & yet am almost constantly in want of a case, when it is required. People here and elsewhere are very tardy and inaccurate to send back anything. Thus non-returned baskets and umbrellas are a heavy annual charge on my private purse. But to return to the Wards Cases. I have overha[w]led the books of the department and find that nine cases plants were sent to Kew and eleven received since 1857. If you now remember that I made a present of a large wood-collection in 1858 or 1857 by desire of Sir Henry Barkly and that subsequently the extensive Exhibition products were sent gratis to Kew, I think you will find me not in debt, but still I will send you an other case filled with plants under the care of a friendly Captain or attentive Passenger. I will of course not balance up our mututal sendings, as to be useful to others rather than to myself is my maxime. But as my department struggles yet through its early stages, you must help me as much as you can; and altho’ I have received many a valuable gift from Kew, my books show that the sendings hence have still been far more extensive than the returns. Besides you have the advantage, in as much as a great deal of greenhouse surplus-plants has to be discarded at Kew annually, while our country, I mean Victoria specially, produces scarcely any peculiar plants fit to travel in Wardian Cases. However I am not selfish and will always do what I can. I enclose seeds of

Acacia penninervis

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, which luxuriates on subalpine hights, were snow lodges for some months in the year. Hence it ought to resist in sheltered places the cold of your locality.