Document information

Physical location:

No. 893, 1878, Crown Lands and Immigration Office, State Records of South Australia, Adelaide. M78.04.25

Preferred Citation:

Friedrich Krichauff to Thomas Playford, 1878-04-25 [M78.04.25]. 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/mentions/selected/M78-04-25-final.odt>, accessed June 13, 2026

Adelaide
April 25th 1878.
Sir,
In reply to letter of 21st March No 463/78 I have the honor to state after communication with Baron von Müller
1
Letter not found.
that I have made a mistake when stating in my previous letter "the Government of South Australia will be entitled to a number of copies of the whole work, as may be agreed upon".
2
See F. Krichauff to T. Playford, 14 March 1878 (in this edition as M78-03-14).
Baron von Müller in all cases leaves the whole issue to the Provincial Government providing the funds for the purpose of exchanging them with others, and he merely requests fifty copies, free of cost, for his own use and to distribute amongst friends. The sum of Two hundred Pounds mentioned in your letter is according to Baron von Müller not nearly enough if the whole of the 25 to 30 species of Eucalyptus indigenous and of particular interest to South Australia are to be lithographed. I have since seen the Surveyor General, who thinks that he may get the lithographs done in Adelaide at a smaller cost; but if not I hope you will allow a sum somewhat in excess of Three hundred Pounds for the purpose.
3
Krichauff's letter was forwarded to G. Goyder, Surveyor General, who replied on 3 May: 'Drawings and draftsman being available the work can be done at £10.10.0 for 100 prints.' On 20 May the Playford minuted: 'Reply and ask Mr Krichauff if he will give me the names of the species of Eucalyptu indigenous to South and Northern Australia that the Baron desire the Govt to find funds for lithographing. Say it appears to me that the course proposed by the Baron for each Colony to lithograph and print its own indigenous Eucalyptu will prove to be very unsatisfactory. to make the work uniform it would certainly be better to have it done at one establishment. it would by that means be most assuredly done cheaper. I would suggest that the Baron ascertain what he can get the whole work printed and lithographed for. then fairly divide the cost among the Colonies and issue a circular to each clearly stating what he proposes to do. what it will cost. what each Colony shoud contribute how many copies each Colony will be entitled to. Unless the subject is dealt with in a practical way I shall not be justified in asking my colleagues to agree to the expenditure desired.'
I have the honor to be
Sir
Your obedient Servant
F E Krichauff
To the Honble the Commissioner of Crown Lands