To William Haines¹    1 March 1858

Melbourne botanic Garden

1 March 1858.

Sir

I do myself the honor of submitting the monthly return for February 1858 on the labours performed in this establishment.

The report on our proceedings in January last has been forwarded to the Hon. the President of the board for land & public works,² the former Chief of this Department.

In submitting this document I beg humbly to suggest, that its publication scarcely will be needful, as in the annual report on the progress of the botanic Garden the principal data of the monthly returns will be again collected.

I have the honor to be

Sir,

Your most obedient & humble Servant

Ferd. Mueller,

Direct. bot. Garden

The Honorable

The Chief Secretary

&c &c &c

Monthly Return of the proceedings of the Government Botanist and of the work performed at the botanic Garden; for February 1858.

The correspondence, which we are anxious to extend over all parts of the Globe, is steadily increasing, and the readiness with which many of our former applications have been responded to is most gratifying for our past and most encouraging for our future exertions of introducing the ornamental and useful plants of foreign countries.

Official letters have been forwarded in this behalf within the month of February to Sir Jos. Paxton of Devenshire,³ Professor Lindley of London, Professor Planchon of Montpellier, Professor Fenzl of Vienne, Professor Alex. Brown of Berlin,⁴ Professor Goeppert of Breslau, Professor Miquel of Amsterdam, Professor Lehmann of Hamburg, Dr. Lange of Copenhagen, Mr Niven of Hull, Mr Bain of Dublin, Mr Fergusson⁵ of Belfast (Ireland)⁶ Mr Forbes & Mr Jennings Administrators of the Gardens H. Grace the Duke of Bedford and H. Lordship the Earl of Derby, Mr Thomas Moore of Chelsea, Mr Law of Clapton, Mr Thomas Rivers Sandbridgeworth,⁷ Mr Skirring Liverpool, Captain Burrell of Williamstown, Count Chabrillan Mr W. Ford, St. Kilda, and Lieut. Slade, Alberton. Letter-Communications have been exchanged for the same purpose with Ch. J. La Trobe Esqr. Sir Will. Hooker of Kew, Professor Decaisne, Muséum d'histoire naturelle, Paris, Mr M'Millan of Gippsland, Dr. Embling of Collingwood, Hon Matthew Harvey of St. Kilda, Mr John Bailey of Adelaide, Mr Charles Stuart of Moreton Bay, Dr. Sonder of Hamburgh, Messrs Veitch of Chelsea, Messrs Rollisson of Toothing,⁸ Messrs E. G. Henderson of St. Johns Wood, Dr. H. Behr St. Francisco, Mr Standish of Bagshot, Mr Hill of Brisbane, Mrs Vernon of Sydney, Mr D. Bunce of Geelong, Dr. MacGillivray of Williamstown, Mr W. Duncan and Mr G. Maxwell of Albany, West Australia, Mr G. Francis of Adelaide, Mr E. Bell, London, Capt. Kreeft & G. F. Brewster of Sandridge, Dr. Milligan of Hobartown, Mr Magnus of Richmond, D. N. Wilkinson of Wellington New Zealand.⁹

The remainder of the correspondence comprised either letters on scientific points, amongst others from and to the far famed savant Charles Darwin, Mr W. Woolls of Paramatta, Mr Oldfield of Kingstone, Van Diemens Land, or communications of technical business of this department.¹⁰ A communication from the Hon. Dr. Featherstone superintendent of the Wellington settlement, New Zealand announces the speedy transmission of living plants from that quarter.¹¹ Verbal arrangements have been likewise made with the Hon. E. Deas Thomson C. B, and with Capt. Lowring C.B., Commanding H. M. Ship Iris for aiding us in augmenting the number of new plants in this garden.

An estimate of the distribution of the wages-expenditure and an application for quarterly advance of the votes for the purchase of plants and incidental expenses has been submitted to the Hon. the Chief Secretary.¹²

An application was forwarded to the office of public work, showing the necessity of a speedy erection of a tool-house, for which a sum of 190£ has been sanctioned by the Government, the proposed site of it having been approved of by the Hon. the Commissioner of public works.

To the same office has been referred a petition of the Bailiff of this establishment for repair of his tent previous to the rainy season, with a recommendation of providing him rather with a small two-roomed weather-bord Cottage, than to incur expenses on the improvements of his present very frail quarters.¹³ An abstract of the Salaries (£100) and wages (£284) expended in this department during the month of January with certificates and receipts has been sent to the Treasury.¹⁴

To the City corporation has been applied for the improvement of the inundated road along the E. fence of the Garden,¹⁵ and to Mr F. A. Powlett, Commissioner of the District of Bourke for the remumeration of such wages as may in future be incurred by the occasional attendance of one of our gardeners to any of the public Blue-Gum tree-plantations in the neighboorhood.¹⁶

The contributions towards the plants of this garden have been important during this month. Sir Will. Hooker, K.H., the venerable Director of the Royal botanic Gardens of Kew, has as an equivalent for former sendings from this establishment forwarded to us by the "Norfolk," aided in the transit by Mr Commissioner E. Bell in London, 3 Wardian Cases and one box containing 251 species of living plants and one box 647 kind of miscellaneous seeds. Except some of the latter, which were partially damaged by moisture, the whole consignment arrived in excellent order, and as the selection has been a judicious one and much in accordance with the wishes expressed by us on former occasions, I feel a pleasure in reporting, that never an equally valuable contribution at one time from a single place has been presented to this department, many of the plants being sent in a considerable number of specimens. I have thankfully to add, that we have this sending only to regard as the commencement of a series of regular ones in future from the rich Gardens at Kew. An other valuable contribution arrived under care of Capt Lowring by H. M. Ship Iris from the Government Garden of Auckland, containing in a Wardian Case 83 seedlings of New Zealand trees & shrubs. Captain Kreeft, trading regularly between Nelson and Port Phillip made a donation of a case of seedlings plants of New Zealand trees and shrubs, and he promisses to repeat in future voyages his contributions. Messrs. J. Bailey & Son of Adelaide returned a Wardian Case with 34 plants. Capt Burrell of Williamstown communicated seeds of Java-plants, Mr W. Ford of St. Kilda 4 Chinese plants, Dr. Mueller some seeds collected by him in North Australia, Mr Abel of Collingwood, Mr Francis of Adelaide, Mr F. Fergusson¹⁷ of Campden¹⁸ N.S.W, Mr Alleyne of St. Kilda & Mr Lightfoot of South Yarra smaller lots of seeds. From Mr Charles Stuart, our collector at Moreton Bay we received on a larger scale 97 kinds of valuable seeds from that district and also a supply of dried specimens of plants, whilst partially by purchase and partially by reciprocation 60 kinds of plants well established in pots were obtained from Messrs. Smith & Adamson of South Yarra including 100 young evergreen trees fit for being planted out into avenues. Messrs Rule & Son of Richmond supplied us also in part by exchange and in part by sale with 50 kind of plants in pots new to this establishment and with 30 trees for avenues, so that at the rainy season a collective number of 250 young trees of Araucarias, Sterculias and Grevillias will be ready for the grounds.

To the birds secured for our aviary by the philosophical Institute have been added 2 female Canary birds presented by Mr Neunaber & 2 female Canary birds and 1 Goldfinch by Dr. Mueller. Two Goldfinches however & 3 Canary birds died during the month, but the rest is prosporing, some of the latter and one thrush nesting already, so that the experiment of not merely introducing into our garden the home songbirds but also to distribute them over the country by their increase seems to promise well.¹⁹ By Prof M'Coy an Echidna Hystrix or Porcupine Anteater has been presented to the zoological collection of the Gardens, by Mr F. M. Selwyn of Brighton a pair of small monkeys & by Mrs Captain Brown, South Yarra one Eagle.

Under the category of donations I beg to report, that the owners of the Sealers Cove saw-mill have been generous enough to disclaim a debt of £15.8/ incurred last winter by Mr Walters,²⁰ when securing plants and timber specimens for this department at Sealers Cove.

The greater portion of the stores and material, solicited in the last quarterly requisitions, has been furnished by the Government Store keeper, whilst we were provided with 2 pieces of office furniture & with some corregated iron (the latter for securing the base of the aviary and the enclosure for quadrupeds) from the Office of public works.

Anxious to augment the treasures of our garden without the least delay, the Director has availed himself of the earliest opportunities after the principle plant and seed harvest of the season was completed, to send collections of seeds and specimens of dried plants abroad, not less than 8211 papers of seeds alone having been distributed already during the last month, some of them however reported as ready for shipment in his last monthly return.

From the specification of the consignments (given below) it will be observed, that with few exception only Government gardens or others of the highest standing have been supplied, in order to secure for our young onstruggling establishment a powerful aid by fair equivalents. Every collection was accompanied by our official credentials and every recipient has either generally or in some cases specially been informed of our requirements.

The return of dried plants from foreign countries for our transmitted specimens will also prove highly acceptable, because without large botanical collections from all parts of the globe botanical investigations cannot be carried out independently in our own colony, even if the aid of such collection were not needed for determining with scientific precision all the plants now and henceforth by us to be introduced.

List of Distributions in February

To Dr. Sonder two boxes botanical specimens & Atherosperma Bark per "Roxburgh Castle" (to a great extent private property of Dr. Mueller)

To the botanic Garden of Hobarton 1 case containing 23 potted plants by the Iris

To the Royal Garden of Kew 188 species of dried plants, 1 Wardian Case with 36 potted plants. Australian seeds per Roxburg Castle & per Simla.		species 347.
To the Horticultural Society of London large packets of ornamental Australian seeds		69 species
To the botanic Garden of Hamburgh		239 species of seeds
To the Botanic Garden of Kopenhagen		223 sp
Trinidad		202 "
Amsterdam		189 "
Chelsea		181 "
Hull		136 "
Breslau		133 "
Dublin		129 "
Belfast		126 "
Berlin		161 "
Vienna		153 "
Paris		217 "
Montpellier		22 "
To the botanic Gardens of Sydney	50 bulbs	195 "
To the Public garden of Geelong		282 "
Garden of Melbourne University		282 "
Imperial Garden of Malmaison		217 "
Sir Jos. Paxton		268 "
Mr Britton21 (for transit of coll.)		78
Messrs Veitch, Exeter		173 "
Garden of the Duke of Bedford		128 "
Earl of Derby		128 "
Mr Low, Clapton		148 "
Messrs Rollisson, Toothing22		200 "
Henderson, St. John's Wood		194 "
Mr Rivers, Sandbridgeworth23		171 "
Mr Standish, Surry24		166 "
Mr Skirring, Liverpool		160 "
Messrs Rule & Son, Richmond		81 "
Messrs Smith & Adamson		87 "
Mr Jos. Preston, Nelson, New Zealand		88 "
Mr G. H. Elliot,25 Collingwood to be exchanged for Canadian seeds		90 "
Professor Asa Gray of Boston 10 collections of Australian seeds containing papers		2340 "

1350 specimen to be distributed amongst the principle Government botanic establishments of the United states of North-America for mutual exchange with this garden.

Mr. Weidenbach, Glen Osmond 42 bulbs

Mr. Schomburgh,²⁶ Gawlertown 35 bulbs,

Colonel Neill seeds of.

Mr Galt, public work office and Mr Alleyne, St. Kilda with rosebuds.

For several public festivals flowers and greens for decoration have been supplied viz: to the Industrial Society, to the Wesleyan Sabbath School of Prahran, to the Emerald Hill Meeting in aid of the Indian Relief fund and for the public School of Prahran, and the Independent Chapel of Melbourne.

The principle work of the Gardeners consisted in pruning the plants, clearing the ground of weeds, edging the borders and keeping walks in proper order.

The heavy rainshowers in the beginning of the month well demonstrated the necessity of an efficient system of drainage throughout the ground and it required some time, to repair what had been damaged by the devastations of the last rains. The stone-gutters on the new main walk, for which the rocks were blasted and the fragments cut at the quarry has now been completed, and with the fire-bricks now at our command and the glazed earthen-drainpipes the work will be much speedier executed, so that the worst places, it is hoped, will be secured with almost everlasting material against new destructions before the rain-season sets in.

The fence, the rustic bridge, some of the gates, turnstiles, the pump &c have been repaired. Some Seats were made of pine-boards. A drain beneath the aviary and an other opposite the Directors office has been built of rocks. Some seeds and ferns were secured by Mr Dallachi at Dandenong. The aviary received some fittings, and by Contractor Grimwood some ornamental work as well as a strong central post for supporting the roof. Bails were fixed to the enclosure for waterbirds.

Four wooden frames covered with canvass have been made, in order to screen the newly imported plants, to sow seeds or to secure recently potted seedlings. The glass-frames underwent some repairs. Much time was lost by the necessity of conveying on hot days either by hand or by carting the water requisite for the plants from the river to the upper part of the garden, a necessity which we trust will be obviated next season by an extension of the Yan Yean pipes to this establishment.²⁷

A Herbarium of plants indigenous to the colony has been nearly completed, which with the sanction of the honorable the Chief Secretary it is the intention to deposit at the public library.

The lawns on the lagoon have been mown, as also the open places of the Yarra bank. The plantation on the river has been weeded. The bulbs were partially stored and partially replanted and distributed over new ground. For propagation some plants were laid and cuttings of others planted under protection. During the rainy days seed papers & tallies are made at the shade. The labours on the Flora of this country have been continued as far as time permitted. The catalogue of our garden plants to be issued this year has been kept complete and many plants, received with incorrect names, have been subjected to examination when flowering, it being our continuous aim to establish a correct nomenclature in the Garden. This gave at the same time an opportunity to enlarge the public collection by securing specimens of the plants flowering in the bot. garden. The seeds received from Moreton Bay, were also carefully examined & labelled. A Wardian case has been filled and put in readiness for transit to Sydney.

The personal of the establishment exclusive of the officers amounted to 20, but has now been reduced to 18 men, which number we intend to keep regularly employed throughout the year.

The public buildings now under work are progressing favourably. Contractor Cornwall completed the walls, the roof and part of the sashes and windows and the flooring of the new hot-house. A highly ornamental addition to the garden consists in the new orchestra-pavillon, equally creditable to the office of public works, by which it was designed, and to Contractor Grimwood, by whom this tasteful building was executed. It is now completed. From the laminated arch of the new bridge the temporary support has now been removed, so that now the steam boats are plying again unendangered.

In concluding this document, the Administrator of the botanic garden begs to offer his humble acknowledgement for all the aid and ready support, which his department enjoyed from the honorable members of the retiring Ministry.²⁸

Ferd. Mueller

Gov. Botanist and Director of the bot. Gardens.²⁹

Acacia armata

Araucaria

Grevillia

Sterculia