Document information

Physical location:

Minute book 8, p. 183, Borough Council records, Warrnambool, Victoria. 76.10.00a

Preferred Citation:

Ferdinand von Mueller to Henry Read, 1876-10 [76.10.00a]. 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/1870-9/1876/76-10-00a-final.odt>, accessed June 9, 2026

1
Letter not found; item is an entry in the minutes recording M’s letter being read at a meeting of the Council on 3 October 1876. See also M to W. Odgers, 26 September 1876 (in this edition as 76-09-26b).
On 12 July 1876 the Secretary of the Tender Board wrote to the Under Secretary, W. Odgers: '3 cases of seeds Ex "Northumberland" for Town Clerk Warrnambool Forwarded on the 10 Instant pr "Julia Percy" and delivered to the Town Clerk on the 11th idem as per receipt filed in this Office' (J76/7405, unit 880, VPRS 3991/P, PROV).
On 29 July the Town Clerk of Warrnambool, H. Read, wrote to Odgers: 'I have the honor to acknowledge receipt of your favor of the 12 instant, as also receipt of three cases of seeds, referred to in that letter. I am directed by the Council to return you their sincere thanks for this handsome donation, and to assure you that the experiment of sowing the seed in sandy soils on the coast shall be carefully conducted, and every care taken to give the seeds a fair chance of germinating. The cases have been opened and found to contain in equal proportions, "Elymus arenarius", "Psamma arenarius", and "Arundo arenarius"; this you will percieve differs from the description given in your letter, as the "Arundo arenarius" has been apparently substituted for the two species of Sand Lupin, namely "Lupinus Arboreus" and "Lupinus albiflorus". A sample parcel of each seed will be forwarded to Dr Mueller, as requested, also a similar portion to the Borough of Portland, and the remainder will be divided between the Borough of Belfast and Warrnambool.' (J76/8142, unit 880, VPRS, PROV).
[Baron von Müeller stating that a further Consignment of seed was in course of transit to this Council with recommendations as to sowing same]
2
The matter was referred to the Botanical Garden Committee and 'a special vote of thanks was passed to Baron Von Müeller for his valuable suggestions'.
The Warrnambool standard added that M's consignment was to include: 'Psamma alenaria [i.e. arenaria], of which he advised that one half be sown at once, and half after the hot season; also lyme grass and lupin seeds, — the lupin seeds to be sown, after soaking, in an enclosure not accessable to pastoral animals' (Warrnambool standard, supplement, 6 October 1876, p. 1; see also Warrnambool examiner, 4 October 1876, p. 4).