To William Nicholson¹    29 February 1860

Melbourne bot. & zoolog. Garden

29 Febr. 1860.

Sir

In reporting what progress the work in this establishment has made during the past month, I have the honor to inform you, that the ordinary gardenwork has been proceeded with, and that also gravel has been lifted in the S.E. part of the Garden and that the old gravel-pits now after the exhaustion of the Ground have been refilled and levelled. Material for new roads in the N. Ground has been got in readiness. Thereby that part of the Garden will be ready to be enclosed into the general ground, as soon as the iron-fences now under progress of erection are completed. Some of the walkes in the central part of the garden have been regravelled.

Much of the time of our gardeners has during this distressingly dry month been absorbed in watering the plants, but notwithstanding we have sustained many losses of young plants, and have had also a much more scanty harvest of seeds as would have been gathered in a more favorable season.

The seats and gates have been painted and the tallies throughout the ground have been revarnished. Some additional seats have been made as well as a rather large fish box for the Mauritius fish expected by next mail steamer. This fish case is intended to be moored at the ferry close to the western part of the Garden, where it will be under constant inspection. Altho' a large fish tank connected with a windmill and pumpworks for waters supply is now nearly completed, it is still doubtful, whether it will be quite ready for the safe reception of the fish by the soon expected arrival of the mail.

This expected importation we again owe to the kindness and circumspect attention of Edward Wilson Esqr., who has moreover during the month placed us under an other obligation by sending per Great Britain 44 larks 36 trushes² and 11 pheasants, most of them in good health.

Some fencing was erected for the protection of the Kangaroos. The stable in the S.E. reserve is now almost completed. The Museum building is also finished during the Month, which will gradually be filled with vegetable products and with the grand Governments herbarium, as soon as shelves and fittings are provided, for which however no other means are available than an occasional days work of our Garden Carpenter and such material as the store vote will admit of to obtain.

To the collections of dried plants has been considerably added by the arrival of a herbarium from Mr C. Stuart of Clifton, New England,³ and by the transmission of an extensive series of plants procured by our collector Dr Herman Beckler on the rivers Hastings & Macclay and on the adjoining mountains.⁴

The Garden experienced this month again the generous support of Sir Will. Hooker of Kew, who forwarded a case with deciduous-leaved plants and 2260 papers of seeds. A Wardian Case with living plants was received from the bot. Garden of Hobarton⁵ and an other from Mr Hulke of New Plymouth.⁶

Our intention of commencing an interchange with the zoologic Garden of Cologne and Copenhagen, in sending by the "Phoenix" a pair of black Swans to each Garden respectively, was unfortunately frustrated by the loss of that fine ship.

Five Llamas are born during the month and 1 Wombat has been added to the Menagerie.

A collection of dried plants was dispatched per "Marion" to the botanical Museum of Paradenia⁷ in reciprocation for a fine collection thence received last year.

The XI No. of the fragmenta phytographiae Australiae⁸ has been published and some additional plates for the flora of Victoria⁹ are also completed.

Since the Government Printer obtained lately a supply again of the requisite printing-paper, the progress of the above work will now not likely be interrupted again.¹⁰

The number of the Sunday Visitors in February has been on account of the hot weather only 10,795 in the northern and 4070 in the Southern Ground.

I have the honor to be

Sir

your most obedient & humble Servant

Ferd. Mueller

The Honorable the Chief Secretary

&c &c &c¹¹