To William Hooker   15 February 1858

Melbourne bot. Garden,

15. Febr. 1858.

Dear Sir William.

It is with extreme gratification, that I can announce to you the safe arrival of the magnificent collection of plants & seeds, which we owe to your kindness, and which was forwarded by the "Norfolk" under the aid of Mr Bell¹ I can without exaggeration state in my next report on the progress of this establishment, that it is by far the finest collection, which ever reached us.² The seeds had suffered partially by mill dew, the fleshy kinds perhaps not very dry at the time of despatch, but the greater part seems to be uninjured and will be sown with exception of the annuals immediately under the frames, which I had made for the purpose. The case of plants which contained those treasures, which were packed in moss without soil arrived in very good condition and will be a grand acquisition for our open flowerbeds. I superintended to day the potting myself, and found only the following destroyed: Santolina chamaecyparissus, Spartium multiflorum, Ribes lacustris, Viburnum oxycoccus, Viburnum cotinifolium, Rosa Brunoniana, Aralia spinosa, Crataegus crenulata, Cistus laurifolia. Either the plants got somewhat wet on the voyage or they were packed a little too wet, otherwise these would also have survived the comparitively short passage. Some of the plants in the Wardian Cases are magnificent and few are dead. I was particularly delighted about Saxo-Gothaea. Your cases have suffered in no way, and will be returned to you as soon as such plants are established, as will be worthy of your acceptance. Meanwhile three of my own Wardian Cases will have reached you, the last by the "Roxburgh castle" through Mr Duncan,³ who conveyes also some trifling other things, a large box with seeds for your and other gardens being likewise on board of the vessel, and if I hear that these had given satisfaction I shall be delighted. — I took the great liberty of sending all the collections of seeds which I was able to get ready so early in the season for British gardens to your friendly care, and trust you will pardon me for trespassing so much, praying at the same time for your kind information, as to whom in future these collections of seeds (which will soon vastly increase if equivalents are given) could be directed: Mr Duncan was obliging enough to promise to act for us as agent, but I would not wish without your permission to accept of his kindness. He packed the cases for Kew himself, so that I trust all will be novelty, what I have send. Great aid for avoiding the transmission of what you may already possess would be a new edition of Hortus Kewensis⁴ or an alphabethic index of the Kew plants. Now I have supplemented already the seed-collections of this year and beg to send in charge of Mr Britten⁵ 97 species of Moreton Bay seeds, several of them quite new. This reminds me of our possessing in Australia a true species of Rhus!, remarkable for its elegant red panicles. I send the diagnosis.⁶ Pardon me, dear sir William, that no more Msc of N. Austr. plants arrived this time, but as the Winter approaches I shall have more leisure for house-work.

I performed a little trip to a creek in the Western-port district, which is not yet mapped, but found only a new Phebalium, allied to P. truncatum⁷ & Boronia Gunnii. The journey to Mount Baw Baw has been postponed til next month, on account of the autumn show of the Horticultural Society, soon to be held.

I see Dr Harvey's diligent hand has been at work to contribute seeds, altho only by recognising his handwriting. His and your expected letters have not yet, arrived, as unfortunately the mail again not arrived in proper time to answer by this mail-vessel. I have therefore little to add, but my hearty wishes for your own welfare and that of our mutual friends.

Humbly yours

Ferd. Mueller

P.S. To my report will be appended a complete index of all of the plants, our garden possess up to the time. I have to issue it in August.⁸ Not knowing Mr Bell's address, I beg to send my note of thanks to you.⁹ I have sent some specimens by the Roxburgh Castle and more will follow.

Aralia spinosa

Boronia Gunnii

Cistus laurifolia

Crataegus crenulata

Phebalium truncatum

Rhus

Ribes lacustris

Rosa Brunoniana

Santolina chamaecyparissus

Saxo-Gothaea

Spartium multiflorum

Viburnum cotinifolium

Viburnum oxycoccus