Melbourne bot. Garden
2/10/71.
Sir
Two days ago I received from the Board of Enquiry,
appointed 9 months ago to investigate the management of the botanic Garden, a memorandum,
furnished from the Melbourne Cemetery in reference to plants, supplied in the course
of years to that institution. This seems an extract of a report furnished to the board,
and its wording is as follows: "Plants received in pots are all so young, that they
have to be repotted and cannot be planted out for a year or two; the greater portion
of these are now thriving; of those received not in pots about one half only succeed."
This statement is not only calculated to do me a deep injury in my official position,
but is also not in accordance
with facts
and evinces deep ingratitude, and I feel it my duty to solicit, that you will be
so good to summon the trustees
of the Cemetery at an early date for a special consideration of the above quoted
statement. As I feel convinced, that the trustees never contemplated that the weight
of their influence should be added to bring possibly about my ruin, I beg of them
to give me for communication to the Board a statement on the following questions:
1, How many trees and how many other plants are now growing in the Melbourne Cemetery
from supplies successively furnished by me.
2, Whether it is expected from me to grow plants to an age of two or three years in
pots for institutions, which employ a professional Gardener able to rear such plants
after they are supplied from my nurseries.
3, Whether the trustees consider it fair, that my small storevote should be heavily
taxed with the purchase of pots to effect for 2 or 3 years repotting here, as many
as 30000 pots even under existing arrangements for supply being already required in
in
my nurseries annually.
4, Whether the Melbourne Cemetery came in all instances early in May, the proper time
to obtain large and strong plants, or whether applications to me were often deferred
till so late in the season, that the regular stock intended for that year's distribution
was exhausted.
5, Why only half the plants should grow, that were not in pots, as
and so many other plants, such as
s
are too rapid of growth as to be furnished by pot culture.
Trusting that the trustees will afford me an
early reply
and protect me against undeserved injury I remain your very obedient
Ferd. von Mueller, M.D.
Major Purchas, C.E. &c &c
Secretary to the Melb. Cemetery.
