Ferdinand von Mueller

Melbourne bot Garden,

4/5/73.

Sir

I have the honor to draw your attention to the desirability, that now, while the estimates of the new financial year are under consideration and preparation, special provision may be made for the needful large supply of plants of timber trees for the Forests. As the officer, who is expected to advise the Government on all professional matters concerning plants, I deem it my duty to point out, that it would be a process wasteful in labor time and expenditure, to provide pot grown plants for extensive forest requirements from a botanic Garden.

1

Marginal annotation by Casey: 'It was never anticipated to obtain plants from the Botanical Garden after the State Nursery had once been stocked. In future of course forest trees will be raised there from seed.'

The supply of select plants in limited numbers for all the different Forest stations might be effected from my Department, as commenced this year, but for the hundreds of thousands of foreign trees to be raised for timber purposes in our forests it would be needful here as in every other country of the globe to establish local nurseries, on spots where good soil exists, shelter can be afforded and extensive and gratuitous water supply is available by gravitation.

2

Marginal annotation by Casey: 'The State Nursery was established for the express object of raising forest trees on a less costly yet equally efficient system to that practiced in the Bot Garden'.

The nurseries being local and thus near the spot of planting, the costly use of pots for seedlings can be dispensed with, the young plants being simply moved by the bore spade and other well known forest-implements.

Being aware of your interest in the forest cultures I cannot refrain from expressing respectfully an opinion, that no full justice can be done to the forest-affairs of this country, unless like in France, Germany and Scandinavia, they are managed by an entirely distinct and well organized Department. The interests of the Forests are far too great for being attended to along with the duties of Agriculture, and just like these two branches of the service of the state in each European Country have a separate practical and professional Administration, so is likewise there kept apart from both any botanic Garden, the latter serving not merely Agriculture and forests but the knowledge of plants also in every other direction.

The honorable J. J. Casey,

Minister of the Lands Department