Ferdinand von Mueller

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Letter not found. For the text given here, see 'Deniliquin Hospital', Pastoral times (Deniliquin, NSW), 6 August 1870, p. 2 (B70.0 8 .0 1 ). The letter is introduced by a letter from Jeffery to the Editor of the paper:

Sir, — All persons interested in the welfare of the above institution will, I think, be glad to learn that Dr. Von Mueller, the Government botanist of Victoria, has very kindly responded to an application from myself, as Hon. Secretary to the Hospital, for a supply of trees, plants, &c., &c., for the purpose of setting in and ornamenting the grounds of this most useful, and (I think I may venture to say, without fear of contradiction) well conducted establishment.

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I shall be only too happy to comply with Dr. Mueller's desires in obtaining the dried plants, leaves, &c., he refers to, if any of our kind up-country settlers, or their families, or—in fact, any person, will favour me with any specimens for transmission to hm. The spirit of reciprocity suggested by such a talented gentleman as Dr. Mueller, tends, I am bound to think, to something more than a mere desire to obtain a collection. His allusion to his proposed work points to this in marked terms.

Melbourne Botanic Garden,

July 26, 1870.

In reply to your leter of the 20th instant,

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Letter no found.

dear Mr. Jeffery, I beg to inform you that I have arranged to-day with Mr. Threlkeld, of Hay,

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NSW.

to send on to you a case full of plants for your Deniliquin Hospital grounds. Mr. Threlkeld has to forward plants to his church ground, and will, through Messrs. M'Culloch and Co., the carriers, take care also of your plants. The occasion is so late, that the supply in my nurseries is almost completely exhausted. Moreover, few plants succeed, unless planted in May, our proper planting month. Besides, I can only supply beyond Victoria to public institutions in interchange. But I feel sure the worthy medical gentlemen of your establishment will respond to my call, when I ask for a good collection of dried plants of the district for the museum of my institution, and as material for my works. Drs. Wren and Noyes could also induce any settler, and particularly young convalescent patients, and above all, young, graceful, and bright ladies, to press and dry the flowers, and grasses, and herbs, and water plants, for a poor philosopher like myself. The object is to get the plants from every locality, carefully collected throughout the season, with a view of tracing gradually the range of the species over the country. Indeed, if all the saltbushes were collected, also all the minute apparently insignificant herbs which spring up after the winter rains, actual novelty may be discovered. I have no financial interest in my works, or my museum, and I give in my works scrupulously credit to every collector.

If my wishes for reciprocity are fulfilled, I should be free to make a much larger sending of young trees to your hospital ground next April. The young plants now sent must be well surrounded with branchlets of any kind for shelter, and they must be regularly watered in dry weather for at least the first year or two. Considering the difficulty of sending plants a long distance, I have made up for your institution a collection of such seeds of trees and shrubs as will easily grow; they will be forwarded by post. Have them sown at once in a little garden nursery, and transplant the seedlings to permanent positions next April or May. Any seedlings very small then should be transplanted into a new nursery bed, to check the growth of the root downwards. The so transplanted seedlings would then be available for final planting out in April or May, 1872. This package of seed, if well used, may furnish you several thousand plants.

With my best compliments to Dr. Wren and Dr. Noyes, and to yourself, I remain your regardful

Any small packages of dried plants might be sent by the settlers for a trifle by post.

G. A. Jeffery, Esq.,

Hon. Sec., Deniliquin Hospital.