Ferdinand von Mueller

Letter not found. The text given here is from the report of a lecture by W. H. Bacchus to a meeting of the Ballarat Farmers' Club held on 20 November, in Ballarat star, 23 November 1875, p. 4. Bacchus's lecture consisted of reading a report on the Falkland Island Tussock Grass by R. Schomburgk in his report on the Adelaide Botanic Garden for 1874, supplement by his own experience and comments from M. The paragraph quoted here is introduced by 'For the following additional information I am indebted to Baron von Mueller:— '.

Later in the lecture Bacchus said 'In reply to a communication relative to the tussock grass, Baron von Mueller has sent to me the second volume of the 'Flora Antarctica,' containing this splendid engraving of it [i.e. J. Hooker (1884-7), p. 384 and the foldout double-size plate CXXXVI-VII; the plates were issued as a separate volume]; the letterpress also contains some interesting matter about it; and apropos of this gentleman, although he may be the right man, many are of opinion that he is not just now in the right place. So far as I can learn he is the general referee of all the Australian colonies on subjects relating to the higher branches of botanical knowledge. Deprived of the residence he has occupied for many years, of the opportunities he used to have for test culture, he is relegated to the Museum, an ugly-looking edifice, crowded up with dried plants, without suitable offices. He is placed in what he considers to be official disgrace. It appears absurd to keep the Government Botanist out of the Botanic Gardens. Would it not be an act of justice to restore to him the directorship, at the same time leaving the charge of the pleasure-grounds, parks, &c., under the same administration as at present.'

i.e. at the end of James Clark Ross’s Antarctic expedition, 1839-43.

See also M to J. Hooker, 25 December 1875 (in this edition as 75-12-25a).