The correspondence of Ferdinand von Mueller: Melbourne, 2 July 1878. ¶ The honorable Grah. Berry, M.L.A., ¶ Chief Secretary. ¶ Sir, ¶ ¶ I have the honor in accordance with your instructions to submit herewith the estimates of the Gov. Botanist'...

Document information

Physical location:

N78/6701, unit 1069, VPRS 3991/P inward registered correspondence, VA 475 Chief Secretary's Department, Public Record Office, Victoria. 78.07.02

Preferred Citation:

Ferdinand von Mueller to Graham Berry, 1878-07-02. 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/1870-9/1878/78-07-02-final.odt>, accessed June 13, 2026

MS written by Georg Luehmann and signed by M.

Melbourne, 2 July 1878.

The honorable Grah. Berry, M.L.A.,

Chief Secretary.

Sir,

I have the honor in accordance with your instructions to submit herewith the estimates of the Gov. Botanist's Department for the new finance-year. These estimates have been prepared on an understanding, that the headquarter of my Department will be in future at Albert Park, altho' I beg again to bring under your favorable consideration the advisability to render the botanic Garden again the place of my Departmental work; by which means a large saving could be effected, in as much as I would undertake to administrate the bot. Garden at half of its present cost, while the Curator might be entrusted with the supervision of the other metropolitan Gardens and Parks, and with the disbursement of the large votes, set apart for them specially.

On 6 August 1878 W. Odgers, Under Secretary, minuted: 'To be kept until Estimates are being discussed in the L[egislative] Assembly'.

I have the honor to be, Sir,

your obedient servant

Ferd. von Mueller,

Gov. Botanist.

Gov. Botanist (without quarter		£	800
Museum Assistant & Clerk (Last year £150)		£	200
Assistant for outdoor office work (last year £130)		£	175
Assistant for collecting & field work, laboratory work and other operations (a new item)		£	150
Museum Materials and plants		£	130
Books, instruments, stationery, stores, tools, seeds, travelling and incidental expenses		£	300
Publications of work on Australian plants (including the Eucalyptus Atlas 3 B79.13.11 etc. )		£	200
		£	1955
(Against £1785 of the previous year)

One gardener at 8/ per day		£	124	16
two labourers at 7/ —		£	218	8
one carter at 7/		£	109	4
two Gardenboys at 3/6		£	109	4
Horse, cart & harness		£	45
Forage		£	40
		£	646	12
(At this rate I can maintain ornamental and scientific cultures in future at Albert-Park
	Total	£	2601	12	/-

An estimate for office Buildings, fences &c has been forwarded to the honorable the Minister of public works		£	1800

(A sum of £900 on a former estimate has lapsed, pending final arrangements for choosing the future head Quarter of the Gov. Botanist so that the £1800 represent the votes of two years.)

In the Estimates that were adopted, the amount allowed for the Outdoor Assistant was reduced to £150, and no funding was provided for either the extra assistant whom M had requested, or the buildings and operating expenses of M’s proposed new headquarters at Albert Park (Victoria, Parliamentary papers, 1878, vol. 1, B1).