From Ferdinand von Mueller to John O'Shanassy   3 Dec 1862

Melbourne botanic Garden,

3. Dec 1862

Sir

I have the honor of reporting on the progress of the work in this establishment during the past month.

The extreme dryness of the season has kept the limited number of Gardeners, which I was able to keep at the close of the year, extensively employed, in saving by watering the more tender and valuable plants there from destruction. Even our cisterns being already partially empty, it entails a great amount of care and labour to attend to the conveyance of water over the extensive grounds, and it is thus with the greatest delight, that I look forward to the extension of the Yan Yean pipes to our ground in the next season, a measure for which you have shown such friendly inclination. A double action forcepump supplies now fortunately one of the nurseries and the plantation of foreign oaks with water, the fixing of the same and the laying of the pipes having been completed this month. But as the working of the pump involves always an expense of labour, we can only hope to do full justice to our ground, when water will be available by gravitation.

During the past month a new gate was put up at the N.E. corner of our northern Ground and a foot path formed to the walk leading to the next halting place of the Railways. This measure was suggested by the Directors of the Melbourne Railway Company for the sake of affording still greater facility to the public for visiting the Gardens. It is my intention for the purpose of rendering the walk from the Railway station to the Yarra footbridge still more agreeable to have it planted with umbrageous trees as soon as the summer is past.

The Ground is kept during the month neatly in order, so that the garden presents as favorable an aspect as could be expected at so trying a season.

The interchange of seeds & plants with English & foreign institutions is kept up with as much regularity as possible. The herbaria are thereby also increased, and as often facilities are experienced by the liberality of the seafaring Gentlemen effecting in these shipments I have availed myself of several occasions again during the month to send also home a number of our waterbirds, caught at the Garden lake, and for which we will reciprocally receive other water fowl from abroad.

I completed also during the month the examination of the interesting plants, gathered during Fr. Gregory's expedition¹ into N.W. Australia during the last year. The material for the first volume of the Universal flora of Australia,² is, as far as our botanic Museum was enable to supply it, placed into Mr Presidents Bentham's hands.

Some plates for the Victorian flora were prepared during the month and the furtherance of that work engages at present my special attention.

I have the honor to be,

Sir,

your most obedient and humble servant

Ferd. Mueller.

The honorable the Chief Secretary

&c &c &³