To Asa Gray   8 March 1858

Melbourne bot Garden

8. March 1858.

My dear Prof Asa Gray.

I beg to acquaint you by these lines, that I forwarded this day a box with specimens & seed divided into 10 collections by the famous clipper "Red Jacket" to Liverpool, to be thence forwarded to you, as seldom or never a direct opportunity of sending to you offers itself. The seed amount to 2340 papers, the specimens to about 1350. To these have been added some pamphlets. I avail myself gratefully of your kind promise to distribute all these things over North Americas, praying that you will retain the principle collection for your own establishment. It would be extremly pleasant to receive an equivalent back at an early period from those establishments, to which you think proper to send them. I refrain from sending a list of what we require, for our garden is yet so young & so poor, that hardly any seed, native of North America, will come amiss. But I may state, that seed of your native trees & shrubs would be particularly desirable, for instance fresh acorns of all your oaks. The seeds which I beg to offer are all collected within the last months & with a few exceptions Australian ones. I expect much benefit from sharing in the annual interchange of seed, which no doubt exists in the North American Gardens.

It was my intention to have selected a set of Compositae for you from my Normal Collection, but my time has been lately fully absorbed by duties as Director of this garden. I will however bear your former requests in mind.

Should any North American garden or Botanist, who can not be supplied from what I send on this occasion feel inclined to exchange seed with this establishment, I would suggest that collections were made up for me, and I will pledge myself to return at an early period an ample equivalent.

Humbly yours

Ferd. Mueller.

The Captain of the Red Jacket has undertaken to ship the box from Liverpool with the first Boston steamer, but I beg to recommend, to instruct some party there to enquire, whether such has been duely the case.

Compositae