Ferdinand von Mueller

Melbourne bot Garden

3/8/68

Allow me to point out, dear Mr Fitzgibbon, that the ploughed stripe of ground along the Yarra would required to be harrowed, for which process it would be now well fit. I am anxious to put into it young trees very soon, & the tree-seeds whenever night frosts are not likely to be any longer severe. The process of raking the ground would be a very tedious one. So perhaps the City Council would be so kind to have the harrowing done. The young trees are already in readiness. I must also ask the Gentlemen of the Council to allow the two men, now at work, when they have finished the willow planting, to assist in the planting of the ploughed ground for a few weeks.

1

The employment by the City Council of two men for two months to prepare ground for planting willows on the city side of the Yarra had been approved on 27 May 1868, see M to E. FitzGibbon, 20 June 1868 and notes thereto.

We will then make a good work of it. I have also to tender my best thanks for the graceful manner, in which to my humble services was alluded in the Argus, when the very extensive and laudable operations of the City Council were detailed.

2

'Improvements on the Upper Yarra Bank', Argus , 23 July 1868, p. 5, summari z ed the work and concluded ' The willows and other trees are all supplied by the Botanic-gardens. The corporation have the ground prepared and the holes dug for them; but, in fact, the work is under the d irection of Dr. Von Mueller, who takes a proper and praiseworthy interest in the enterprise. It is when great improvements like those above described are effected in such a way that the community f eel s once more how valuable our Botanic-gardens are. '

At the close of the planting I shall not fail to submit a report.