Ferdinand von Mueller

Melbourne 22/4/75.

Sir

I have the honor of submitting to your favorable consideration the desirability of a study of indigenous plants, being encouraged at the state-schools by means of local collections of dried plants. Such collections could gradually be formed at each school by the pupils, without any expense whatever being incurred, if the children were merely asked to gather according to their taste and inclination during free hours the various plants, which in flower or fruit during the seasons would present themselves. This mode of collecting might be encouraged by holding out within restrictions to the most careful and persevering young collector an annual prize, which might perhaps consist of a card of honor, bearing in goldletters the name of the prizetaker. I need scarcely add, that such a token could be cheaply prepared at the Gov. Printer's Office and would possess to the recipient a more lasting value than any purchasable prizebook. If the pupils were instructed to collect two sets of plants, and if arrangements were made to send to my office one of the sets, correspondingly numbered with the other, then the names of all the transmitted species would be forwarded by me to each sender of the school, or rather to its master. The simple process of drying plants can be effected with any kind of paper, and should be done at the childrens own homes. There will be no more effective, lasting and pleasurable teaching in reference to our native plants, than the process indicated, while thus at each school in course of time a complete collection of the plants indigenous to the district would arise for permanent reference.

The honorable Ang. Mackay &c

Minister of the Education Department.