Document information

Physical location:

P90/7868, unit 359, VPRS 3992/P inward registered correspondence, VA 475 Chief Secretary's Department, Public Record Office, Victoria. 90.07.19

Preferred Citation:

Ferdinand von Mueller to Alfred Deakin, 1890-07-19. 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/1890-6/1890/90-07-19-final.odt>, accessed June 13, 2026

Melbourne,
19 July 1890.
The honorable Alfred Deakin, M.L.A.
Chief Secretary.
Sir.
I have the honor to submit a letter from Mr D. McAlpine,
1
See D. McAlpine to M, 18 July 1890.
just received, in reference to his intended appointment of permanency as Vegetable pathologist, and feel it my duty to give respectfully my opinion, that such a position could most advantageously be connected with the Departm. of the hon. the Minister of Agriculture for the following reasons.
1, As it is understood, that Mr M'Alpine's services should be in practical application to the crops of the colony, the position must necessarily be closely connected with the agricultural and pastural interests here, just as that of the Gov. Entomologist; and the building, in which Mr M'Alpine is to operate, when not engaged in the field, will be close to the Office of Agriculture. Here, with me, is not even working space enough for the special work of the Gov. Botanist, and even if additional buildings were provided, it would cause continued complications, if Mr M'Alpine's work was constantly passing through two Departments .
2, The engagements of Mr M'Alpine would require frequent cultural tests , for which the Gov. Botanist's establishment has no ground whatever, while the Agricultural Department has all the facilities for the purpose through its experimental farms.
3, The aid, to be afforded to Mr M'Alpine from the establishment here, would be similar to that in chemistry through Mess. Blackett and Newbery, to that in geology through the Mines-Department, to that in meteorology by the astronomic observatory.
4, In the United states the position of Veg. Patologist has also been always under the hon. the Commissioner for Agriculture.
5, From the Gov. Botanists Department long since the botanic Garden and Seeds Magazine were withdrawn; my laboratory and its appliances went to the Department of Agriculture, the vegetable products and educts were transferred to the technologic Museum at the public Library so that my establishment is reduced to correspondence, to litterary work and the herbarium; it would be of the utmost difficulty now to extend or restore it to its original scope for purposes just discussed.
6, The Gov. Veg. Pathologist would, by the vast interests involved, require a particular library and special appliances, which are not to the required extent contained in my branch of the service.
7, Dr Cooke's
2
Mordecai Cooke.
position at Kew-Gardens is merely engagement of a small share of his time for general knowledge of fungi in connection with dried specimens, not for pathologic researches on crops which is outside of the functions of the great Kew Establishment. Indeed Dr Cooke is in a private position almost entirely as a litterary Gentleman, and depends mainly on the issue of his works for public sale. No Assistant is specially here required in the herbarium for the maintenance of the fungus-collection.
It needs not my assurance, that I will gladly aid at any time the Gov. Veg. Pathologist with advise and information at the Agricultural Department, where so much work will devolve on him in travelling, observing, sketching and recording, that it would be advisable to make his appointment a full one , so that he may devote his whole time for the important special duties, expected from him there; — but if I am allowed, to ask a favor in this instance, it would be this, not to enlarge my establishment and burden additional obligations on it , so that at this very late time of my life I may quietly continue and finish that particular work, which I have laid out for myself during the remainder of my earthly career, while strength still may last me.
3
The Under Secretary, T. Wilson, submitted both M's and the enclosed letter from McAlpine to the Chief Secretary on 23 July 1890. Deakin minuted on 25 July: 'Mr McAlpine's letter attributes his own views & opinions, to which I only assented in a qualified & conditional manner, to myself — Inform him that the report of Sir F. Von Mueller is unfavourable to his proposition'. Wilson wrote to McAlpine on 29 July: 'In reply to the letter addressed by you to Sir Ferd Von Muller K.C.M.G. &c. in which you state that in your opinion your office of Consulting Vegetable Pathologist should be attached to the department of the Government Botanist, I am directed to inform you that the report received from that gentleman on the subject is unfavorable to your proposition.' A copy of this letter was forwarded to M on 11 August and he replied the next day: 'Very grateful for the information afforded and the decision arrived at by the honorable the Minister.'
I have the honor to be,
Sir, your obedient servant
Ferd. von Mueller,
Gov. Botanist.
May I add, that if Mr McAlpine was even pro forma only placed into the Gov. Botanists Department, the real and probably harrassing responsibility for his work would necessarily fall on myself, whereas evidently the control over his work ought to be exercised by the Department for Agriculture.