24/6/6[7]1
I have used my best discretion, dear Dr Paterson, to procure for the St Kilda Esplanade still the plants you desire, though you are 6 or 7 weeks too late for a selection of the best or rather strongest plants. I send you now 90 select mostly Californian & Himalaian Pines in pots, 50 Stone pines & a number of miscellaneous young trees nearly all of quick growth & able to stand sea air, if for one year properly & closely surrounded with branchlets of any kind. I trust the vast number of rare 2 years pines in pots sent in former years have by this time assumed tall dimensions; each was worth five shillings, when sent away from here. I have sent only for the Esplanade plants this day; if you will be so good to send some morning soon for the plants for the public garden I will try what can be found yet. Pray send a plan of the esplanade ground indicating thereon the vacant spaces prepared which may still need planting should what I send now not prove sufficient; also the plan of the public garden.
your regardful
Ferd. Mueller.2
editorial addition.
In an accompanying report to the Municipal Council of St Kilda on 24 June 1867, Patterson on behalf of the Garden and Planting Committee stated that they had 'received this afternoon from Dr. Müeller a most splendid donation of pines and shrubs which he considers suitable for planting in the Esplanade and the Swamp'. The Committee asked for instructions 'as to their destination as they are unwilling to risk expenses without the sanction of the Council. They are fully prepared however to undertake the trouble and responsibility of planting them and recommend that this be done immediately.' A transcription of M's letter was attached the report.
Please cite as “FVM-67-06-24,” in Correspondence of Ferdinand von Mueller, edited by R.W. Home, Thomas A. Darragh, A.M. Lucas, Sara Maroske, D.M. Sinkora†, J.H. Voigt† and Monika Wells accessed on