The correspondence of Ferdinand von Mueller: Melbourne bot Garden, ¶ 20/12/71. ¶ ¶ By the ship Nardoo, dear Professor Gray, which sails from here direct to Boston, you will receive through the mediation of its friendly Captain a package of muse...

Document information

Physical location:

John Torrey Records, Archives of the New York Botanical Garden, New York. 71.12.20

Preferred Citation:

Ferdinand von Mueller to Asa Gray, 1871-12-20. 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/1870-9/1871/71-12-20-final.odt>, accessed June 15, 2026

Melbourne bot Garden,

20/12/71.

By the ship Nardoo, dear Professor Gray, which sails from here direct to Boston, you will receive through the mediation of its friendly Captain a package of museum plants. The contents are as follows:

for	you:	Austr.	spec.	250
"	"	Indian	"	120

for Mr Meehan:

Australian	species	195
Indian	"	120

So you see at least my good will, to show myself grateful for your kindness, so often experienced.

The direct wool track from here to Boston, just commenced, will give us splendid opportunities for interchanges.

I wished much, that Mr Meehan could send me an other consignment of Walnuts & Hickory nuts, Pine seeds & any other tree-seed of your country, when such ripen.

With best wishes for your health & happiness

Ferd. von Mueller.

The letter had been folded into three and in the centre panel of the otherwise blank page four there is an annotation in a different hand:

Capt. Paul

Ship Nardoo

Nardo o was cleared out of Melbourne for New York on 23 December1871 with 1,772 bales of wool ( Argus , 1 January 1872, p. 3). It had arrived from Boston on 19 November ( Argus , 20 November 1871, p. 4), its cargo, mostly timber and other building items, being sold by auction at the wharf in the week of arrival.