To Richard Heales¹    28 February 1861

Melbourne botanic and zoolog. Garden,

28 February 1861.

Sir

I have the honor of submitting to you an outline of the labours and proceedings in this establishment during the past month.

The usual work of the season was continued in the horticultural branch of the establishment; and a valuable collection of about 50,000 seeds of the Stonepine, (a tree which forms such a picturesque feature in the Italian Landscape) having been received, we have under the advantage of this unusually favourable season, at once sown a considerable proportion of these seeds, & notice them germinating copiously. As the Kernels of this pine are of almond like taste, a highly useful tree may thus be widely distributed by our exertions in Victoria.

We had also the gratification of observing a vast number of seeds of the Chinese tea-plant showing their germs and may, particularly for the benefit of Chinese labour also distribute large numbers of this plant through districts suitable for its growth.

Over part of the ground in the experimental garden lasting drainpipes have been laid, whilst to the Northern ground quarry-rubble has been conveyed for the continuation of the lagoon walk.

About 130 labels have been painted. Several repairs on the buildings have been effected by our own labour and a coating of paint was given to most of the seats and some of the buildings of the menagerie.

We supplied a Wardian Case with ferns to Mr Bailey of Point de Galle² to be refilled with Ceylon plants; further on reciprocal terms a Case with New Zealand flax and other useful plants to Mr W. Pritchard, British Consul at the Fiji Islands, and two other cases with plants are in readiness for being sent to settlers & missionaries of the Fijian Group, together with a copious supply of teaseeds and Eucalyptus seeds, desirable for those partially timberless isles.

Experiments have been instituted on desire of the South Australian Government with the Australian Lotus, said to be destructive to the flocks near Lake Torrens.

Some interesting additions have been brought to the garden during the month, including seeds of the Amazone gigantic Waterlily, Victoria regia, obtained from Professor Patterson of Dublin; the same plant was once before raised by us from seeds, brought by J. Th. Smith Esqr, but the young plants were accidentally lost by the bursting at night time of the basin in which they were growing.³ We obtained one glass-case with plants from the botanic Garden of Hobarton,⁴ an other with pines and palms from the Fiji Islands, a nice assortment of rare Cacti, forwarded to us by the Société d'acclimation of Paris from Algeria, from the same Society with the former under care of Edward Wilson Esqr seeds of many varieties of mais &c, but only in small lots; — from Professor Dr. Asa Gray, the celebrated Director of the botanic Garden of Boston, U.S., a consignment of acorns, hickoryseeds, seeds of American Ash and of other trees of the United states, for which, particularly for the purpose of lining some of our walks with umbrageous American trees, a special application had been made and a reciprocal consignment had been shipped.

From the imperial botanic Garden of Petersburgh we received 469 papers of seeds.

Some of the American Oaks, Elmtrees and Ash trees, raised in our garden from seeds last year promise to do well in our climate. One of the most important trees however is the Oriental Plane, of which we increase the supply as fast as our limited number of plants admits of.

A large quantity of seeds of trees & shrubs was furnished for the defence ground of Sandridge; a second instalment of quick-growing heat-resisting native trees was shipped by the "Salsette" to Jerusalem and a similar consignement to the Governor of Hong Kong.

Mr Edward Wilson, returning to the Colony, brought, with his usual kindness to exert himself for us, 3 Elks, 4 Monkeys, 1 young Crocodile, and a few small birds from Ceylon. From the Chief officer of the "Salsette" we received a young Ceylon deer (to be matched with a solitary female in our collection) in exchange for a pair of fallow deer of our own breeding, by which arrangement also the advantage will arise of placing the latter species in an other part of New South Wales.

Our two Brent Geese died recently by inflamation of the liver, the other pairs having perished on the same malady during the voyage. One of the Curassows suffered immediately after arrival from an abscess of the phalanges, which brought on caries and rendered the amputation of the foot at the tarsal bone necessary; the Bird is now nearly recovered. 2 young Kangaroos were received as donations.

A pair of black Swans was forwarded to Mr Bailey, Agent of the P. & O. S. N. Company at Point de Galle for valuable services rendered to Mr Edward Wilson, when securing at Ceylon some animals for this establishment. The first experiments domesticating seals and Watermoles⁵ proved unsuccessful; yet I think, if an expense in the formation of large saltwater basins for the reception of the former and in the construction of freshwater basins with a long earth tunnel for the latter, is no object, that nothing could be easier than taming these kinds of animals.

A second Class Angora Goat, born in Victoria, was granted by the zoological Committee for breeding purposes to the Government of Tasmania. Some common goats are weekly admitted to our first class Angora male. Some Black birds, trushes⁶ and pheasants were furnished to the botanic Garden of Adelaide.

Under my superintendence the Commencement has been made for forming painted Gyps-cast of horticultural products for the forthcoming national exhibition.⁷

I have also obtained for the exhibition a piece of rope made from New Zealand flax grown in our Garden.

Whenever a spare hour was available the sorting and critical examination of our herbarium was continued.

The trustees of the Sydney Museum have been so friendly, to entrust to me the examination of the whole extensive collections of dried plants formed by Dr Leichhardt, Sir Th. Mitchell and Mr Stuchbury, during their various exploratory journeys, and whilst the revision of these plants (to which, I shall devote the Sundays during the next winter) will aford me great additional information on Australian plants, both auxiliary and interesting in working out my Victoria flora,⁸ it is pleasing to me that it has fallen to my share, to render more fully available to the world the labours also in the field of botanical science of these three celebrated men, and to offer an additional contribution to the fame of those, no longer numbered with the living.

From the Victorian Expedition⁹ some interesting novelties arrived, which I have published in the 15 number of my fragmenta, which just appears.¹⁰ The whole of Dr Becklers collection has been examined and will be exhibited at the next meeting of the Royal Society.¹¹

Mr Babbage has also sent his botanical collections, formed in the expedition he performed this summer, and I have reason to believe, that the South Australian Government will also place at my disposal the collections secured by Mr Waterhouse in a journey of several months duration at Kangaroo Island.

Jul. Haast Esqr. was kind enough to forward all his alpine plants gathered in his recent arduous travels through the unexplored icy regions of the Midde¹² Island of New-Zealand, and these collections are of great importance for comparison with the floral productions of our own Alps.

Mr Maxwell of Albany¹³ has indicated his intention, to forward by next steamer all his plants collected this summer during his exploring journey to the Western extremety of the Great Australian Bight.

In the Rev. Mr Whan of Skipton I have found a new zealous collaborator in collecting and observing Victorian plants and it is highly gratifying to me, for the purpose of advancing my botanical writings, that your Honor has given me permission to follow up both phytologically and topographically my recent discoveries in the Australian alps.

I have the honor to be

Sir

your most obedient & humble servant

Ferd. Mueller.

To The Honorable the Chief Secretary.

&c &c &c ¹⁴

Eucalyptus

Victoria regia