Document information

Physical location:

M73/3649, unit 75 0, VPRS 44/P inward registered and unregistered correspondence, VA 538 Department of Crown Lands and Survey, Public Record Office, Victoria. 73.02.14

Preferred Citation:

Ferdinand von Mueller to Duncan Gillies, 1873-02-14. 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/1870-9/1873/73-02-14-final.odt>, accessed June 9, 2026

Melbourne botanic Garden
14/2/73.
Sir
I have the honor to acknowledge your communication of yesterday,
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Letter not found.
regarding a proposed new arrangement for the supply of water for the botanic Garden; and I feel sure, that after an explanation of the difficulties, which would therewith arise, you will kindly reconsider this measure. If I understand the meaning of this communication rightly, then the botanic Garden is in future only to obtain water from the steamengine on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays. Under such circumstances I should be without water from Wednesday afternoon til Saturday forenoon, while in the nurseries and conservatories for the many thousands of tender and small plants water by pressure is daily required. Moreover in the open extensive garden ground the many thousands of delicate and valuable plants could not be watered for two days in succession, though extreme heat might prevail on these two particular days in the week. Neither could the water-cart be properly utilized as no water would be near, nor the handwatering through the orphan boys as at best the supply of water from the engine is utterly inadequate for any general irrigation. Moreover as the gardenboys are here on Saturdays only about three hours, and then much needed to clear up for the Sunday, the plants would be almost without water from Wednesday afternoon til Monday forenoon, and the existence of a vast number of the plants imperilled. It is very different in the Domains, where only trees are planted, mostly already deep rooted and not suffering at once from want of water, as is the case with the almost endless number of my small plants. As I had not the honor of being able to offer an opinion on the arrangements, which might be made so as to supply both the garden and domain with water, I beg now respectfully to suggest that water be supplied for four hours of each work day at the botanic Garden, and that the working of the engine in hot weather be extended over so many additional hours as at any time that the requirements of the domain might demand, extra labor thus being brought to bear for the irrigations in the Domain. The waterworks provided by me for a supply of water of the botanic Garden have cost over £3000 - - out of the votes of the bot. Garden, and while I postponed other desirable progressive work of less urgency, it is now a great hardship to be supplied with utter inadequacy. During the cool season at least the Yan Yean Water might be supplied readily in addition on rainy days, during midnight hours and on Sunday afternoon, in the latter time to play my great Geyser fountain, at the other time to keep the tanks and water holes provided.
I have the honor to be,
Sir, your obedient servant
Ferd. von Mueller,
Direct. botan Garden
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On 18 February 1873, Gillies minuted: 'Mr Wallis will be good enough to report on this'.
Wallis reported on 22 February: '1st I have the honor to observe that all expenses connected with maintenance of the engine and engine-driver are charged equally by the Govt House Domain and Botanical Garden, by reason of which each of said Reserves is entitled to one half of the water pumped up.
2nd The season is now so far advanced as to render a further supply of water to the Domain useless, and a daily supply to the Botanical Garden for the purpose of irrigation unwarrantable. This, in my opinion, being the case, I recommended — observing that his time could thus be more profitably filled up — that the engine-driver be employed during three working days in each week to pump water exclusively for the Botanical Garden, and that during the remaining three days he be engaged in general garden work, under the supervision of the Foreman of gardeners in Govt House Domain.
3rd With regard to that portion of Dr Mueller's letter, wherein he complains that under the new arrangement he will receive an inadequate supply to water for his nursery and conservatory plants, I beg to observe that each of the conservatories and nurseries is furnished either with a water-tank having a pump attached or with water-barrels, and that some are provided with both of these appliances. Further, in addition to the above, there is a water-tank at the laboratory and another at gardener Coller's house both of which are in the proximity of the large conservatory, while a third tank at gardener Schneider's house is close to the nursery under his care.
4. I have the honor to report that I proceeded yesterday afternoon to the Botanical Garden to investigate this matter and to satisfy myself as to the sufficiency or otherwise of the water supply to the nurseries & conservatories upon the days during which the engine does not work, and beg to state that, in the nursery under gardener Schneider's care, I found two of the four barrels still full, while the remainder were about ⅓ emptied; that on enquiry of the gardener in charge as to when the barrels were last filled, he informed me on Monday, and that he further stated, in reply to a question put by me, that he had not yet been inconvenienced by the new arrangement. At the large conservatory, I found still plenty of water in the tank, but the supply in the barrel had been exhausted. However, on enquiring of gardener Coller as to whether he received a sufficient supply the new arrangement, he replied in the affirmative, stating that his supply was ample. The tank at the small conservatory I find well supplied with water. I beg, therefore, to remark that Dr Mueller's statement as to the inadequacy of the supply to the nurseries and conservatories is contrary to fact, and trust that you will not cause any alteration to be made in the present arrangement, which is beneficial to the Govt House Reserve, without being in any way detrimental to the Botanical Garden.'
On 26 February, the Minister of Lands, J. Casey, instructed: 'Forward to Govt Botanist. Let no change be made until I shall have heard from him.' See also M to J. Casey, 27 February 1873.
The honorable Duncan Gillies,
Acting Minister of Lands.