Bot. Gardens, Melbourne,
27 October 1854.
Sir William
By the Great Brittain, leaving this harbour to morrow, I beg to forward to you a box with dried plants, being the remainder of those which I have produced during my last journey. Most of them are intended for yourself; but I took also the liberty of adding a small parcel for Mr La Trobe and another for Mr Kippist. I shall be delighted to learn, that you received them with pleasure, and I am most anxiously awaiting some intelligence from the safe arrival of those, which I transmitted or rather prepared for transmission now more than a year ago. I must confess, Sir William, I feel very unhappy, that I can not put my mind at rest on this point, before I leave for the alps, which will be in a few days, thinking that you must consider me very neglectful. Several copies of my second annual Report1 have been also added as well as some manuscript and a few copies of the first number of the philosophical transaction[s], which contains chiefly in my article the diagnoses of some plants, of which I have already forwarded the manuscript to you in latin, being therefore more stereotyp and besides accompanied by ample descriptions. I submit them to your [clement] judgement.
I trust that you received the various articles which I forwarded by the golden age, by Mr Howitt, by the Red jacket, by the Madras and by the Queen of the South this winter. Should there be any hindrances in the publication of so much manuscripts, certainly so much inferior to the manyfold other communications towards your periodicals, I would feel obliged for the transmission of that part, for which your journals not might have room, to Dr Sonder, as I feel assured Prof Fuernrohr will not object to receive it for the Flora of Ratisbon.2 Away myself on official journey, my assistant packed my first writing of part of the manuscripts forwarded by the Queen of the South, up together with his clear-writing; I should feel obliged for the remission of the same.
My duties as Commisioner for the Paris Exhibition have impeded this winter considerably my botanical labours and have also caused the loss of part of the spring season to me for botanical researches. However I hope, that under the guard of providence I may complete to some degree the exploration of the whole alpine chain of this continent, and after some journeys the[n] a second time (in a different season) to some other localitites again, I hope, the material will be sufficient to commence my Victoria Flora (in English.) The valuable labours of Dr. Jos. Hooker, which I shall have probably by that time before me will render me material assistance in this otherwise difficult undertaking; I say difficult, as I have no access to authentic specimens. Much missed have I this winter by the examination of the alpine plants Dr J. Hookers fl. N.Zeal.3 Could I obtain this work as well as the Flora antarctica4 (with [un]coloured plates) through your bookseller, the amount will be at once paid to his assigny. I have ordered this works as well as Endlichers genera and the new volumes of the Moscow Bulletin, Lindley's veg. Kingdom from 1854, Fields New South Wales, the latter volumes of your London journal, the Miscellany of Kew Garden, Endlicher prodromus florae Norfolkiae and your synopsis filicum lately, but I should feel glad to receive them by two vessels so as to be in reality sure of receiving them.5 The duplicates I can always present, as I have done with several copies of Dr J Hookers admirable Himalayan journal,6 to some scientific friends, for such standard works as yours and the abo[ve]7 named can be assuredly not in too many libraries.
Dr Harvey botanises now after his return from Port Fairy on the Port Phillip heads and I believe he is [much] pleased with the results of his researches. I can not express to you, Sir William, in how high estimation I hold this excellent man.8
The letter, to which you referred in the lines forwarded by Duncan and Anderson, has never yet reached me. Both went into the country; it lay not in my power to engage them, as the practical management of the gardens lays not in my hand. For Anderson I had procured a place in a survey party, but I believe, as such employment is not lucrative, he preferred an other offer made to him. The plants, k[indly] forwarded by them came partially well into our hands; but on emigrants vessels it is difficult to allot to them a secure place. I was delighted to see the Tea plant amongst them. The Boehmeria however was dead. Could we not get, Sir William, Ilex Paraguensis and other plants of utility? I will try my best to restore an aequivalent not unproportionate to what we received. From the many seeds of Argan tree only two are raised[,] sufficient however to establish this valuable tree in these colonies. The woods which I have provided for the Paris Exhibition, some of rarety, will be probably by the commissioners afterwards send to your aekonomical Museum according to my proposal9
A few days ago I had the pleasure of becoming personally acquainted here with Mr Archer10 from V.D.L.
I beg to conclude these remarks, Sir William, with the expressions of gratitude for all your former generosity and with the best wishes for your happiness and welfare
yours most obediently,
Ferd Mueller.
Boehmeria
Ilex Paraguensis
Please cite as “FVM-54-10-27,” in Correspondence of Ferdinand von Mueller, edited by R.W. Home, Thomas A. Darragh, A.M. Lucas, Sara Maroske, D.M. Sinkora†, J.H. Voigt† and Monika Wells accessed on 27 April 2024, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/vonmueller/letters/54-10-27