Ferdinand von Mueller

Melbourne,

28 July 1887.

The honorable Alfred Deakin, M.L.A.,

Chief Secretary.

Sir,

In reply to a question by Joseph Harris Esq., M.L.A., asked in the Legislative Assembly yesterday,

1

Argus, 28 July 1887, p. 5, col. f.

I have the honor to report, that the descriptive portion of the "Key to the system of Victorian plants" (pt. I), will be ready in August ; the completion of the work in a conscientious manner according to the difficult dichotomous method required, for this work, involved far more time than anticipated, the Flora of Victoria being doubly as rich as that of Britain, where not even yet a work according to the Lamarckian method exists for the native plants. I avail myself of this opportunity of soliciting, that the Gov. Printing Department be instructed to push the work in Aug. and September throught the press with every possible speed; but no manuscript can be sent, until the whole is written and elaborated, on account of the particular connected numbering required throughout.

2

The published work was not issued until November 1888 (B88.11.02).