Document information

Physical location:

J76/1546, unit 952, VPRS 3991/P inward registered correspondence, VA 475 Chief Secretary's Department, Public Record Office, Victoria. 76.02.23

Plant names

Preferred Citation:

Ferdinand von Mueller to William Odgers, 1876-02-23. 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/1870-9/1876/76-02-23-final.odt>, accessed June 4, 2026

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In 1875 the Prefect of Algiers had written to the British Consul General in Algiers, R. L. Playfair, requesting him to procure for distribution in Algeria a supply of the seed of
Eucalyptus ficifolia

Search for Eucalyptus ficifolia in

. The Prefect said that M had supplied a small packet previously. On 24 November 1875 Playfair wrote to Britain's Foreign Secretary, the Earl of Derby, asking him to obtain the seed through the Colonial Office. The Secretary of State for the Colonies, Lord Carnarvon, passed the request to the Governor of Victoria, G. F. Bowen, on 16 December 1875. In forwarding the request to the Chief Secretary on 21 February 1876, Bowen noted: 'Probably the Dept of Land could procure the Eucalyptus seed asked for by the French Govr. When I was last in Europe I heard everywhere of the good done by this tree in neutralizing the ill effects of malaria.' On the same day, the Under Secretary, W. H. Odgers forwarded the request to M.
The Euc. ficifolia was named and described by me in 1860 (in my fragm. II, 85
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B60.08.01, p. 85.
) and it is as yet only known from Brooke's Inlet, about 70 miles from King George's Sound
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WA.
in a wild impervious unsettled country. Like numerous other important plants it become
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became?
through my private exertions and at my private expense known in Europe. Many years ago I planted two of these gorgeous trees at the site of Gov. House. The seed is expensive. I expect to receive a new supply by next mail. None is to be had at present. As this will be a presentation from one Government to another by direct correspondence, it would be but fair and just, that in this instance at least the fund for the transmission of a quantity of these seeds should be provided officially.
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On 24 February the Chief Secretary, J. MacPherson, asked the Treasurer if there was 'any fund out of which the expenses of obtaining the seed could be paid?' E. Symonds, Treasury Secretary, replied on 28 February: 'I am desired by the Honorable the Treasurer to enquire as to the probable cost of the seeds required'. Odgers supplied the required information on 29 February: 'The seed is worth 30/- pr oz and it was thought we cd not well send less than ½ a pound if so much can be had'. On 9 March, Odgers asked M: 'If the Gov. Botanist will be so good as to supply ½ a lb of these Seeds and furnish an a/c for the same it will be passed to the Treasury for payment'. M replied on 11 March: 'Whenever the seeds arrive, [then ½ lb] shall be forwarded to the Office of the hon. the Chief Secretary and the account be rendered in accordance with instructions'.
On 21 March 1876 the Chief Secretary, J. MacPherson, passed this information on to Governor Bowen, adding that the 'seed is valued at thirty shillings an ounce' and that when new supplies arrived 'half a pound will be forwarded to His Excellency with a statement of the cost'. One ounce was duly sent on 12 June with the apology: 'It has not been found possible to obtain a larger quantity'. An account for £1.10/- was sent to the Treasurer, J. McCulloch, on 15 June who directed that the seeds 'be considered as presented to the Colony of Algiers' (I76/6690, unit 925, VPRS 3991/P, Public Record Office, Victoria). There is further correspondence concerning the payment of the account in the Treasury files (VPRS 1207/P/772/77-5806 and attached papers, Public Record Office, Victoria).
See also M to W. Odgers, 27 June 1877 (in this edition as 77-06-27b).
Ferd. von Mueller.
23/2/76.