The correspondence of Ferdinand von Mueller: Melbourne bot. Garden, ¶ 7/5/73. ¶ The Minister of the Lands Department ¶ Sir ¶ ¶ I have the honor to inform you, that last evening I was asked on their own accord by two of the Officers of the Itali...

Document information

Physical location:

M73/8258, unit 750, VPRS 44/P inward registered and unregistered correspondence, VA 538 Department of Crown Lands and Survey, Public Record Office, Victoria. 73.05.07a

Preferred Citation:

Ferdinand von Mueller to James Casey, 1873-05-07 [73.05.07a]. 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/1870-9/1873/73-05-07a-final.odt>, accessed June 13, 2026

Melbourne bot. Garden,

7/5/73.

The Minister of the Lands Department

Sir

I have the honor to inform you, that last evening I was asked on their own accord by two of the Officers of the Italian Frigate,

The Italian Frigate Garibaldi arrived at Melbourne on 25 April with the Duke of Genoa as a midshipman (Argus, 26 April 1873, p. 5). The article stated that 'A number of plants in cases have been sent on from the Cape of Good Hope here to Baron von Mueller, with whose name and scientific fame the officers of the Garibaldi seemed to be quite familiar'.

to supply them with a small collection of seeds of ornamental Australian plants for the Conservatories of their friends in Europe.

As each Warship, visiting our port, leaves several thousands £ of their country's money in our colony, and as such small marks of attention leave a friendly impression on our visitors, I would recommend that each Officer, who may desire it, should on this occasion receive a small package of suitable seeds out of my magazine.

I have the honor to be,

Sir, your obed. serv

Ferd. von Mueller

Direct. botan Garden

On 9 May 1873, Casey minuted: 'Merchant vessels as well as men of war "spend their countrys money in our Port". I do not approve of sending seeds unsolicited to the private conservatories in Europe of the friends of naval officers as a general rule. As however I learn thrgh the newspapers [for example, Argus, 26 April 1873, p. 5] not the Govt Botanist that the Garaboldi brght some trees & plants from the Cape for the Bot Gardens, I shall be glad to acknowledge this Service in any suitable way. I think that any mark of attention should be given to the Captain of Frigate and H.R.H. the Duke of Genoa. Any trees plants or seeds they may desire to have the Govt Botanist should supply. Request Govt Botanist to write inform them and enquire.' On 10 May 1873, the Secretary of Agriculture, A. Wallis, minuted : 'So informed'. See also M to J. Casey, 12 May 1873.