To James McCulloch   29 December 1867

Melbourne bot.

Garden 29/12/67.

Sir

In compliance with the request, conveyed in your letter of the 23 inst,¹ I have the honor to transmit to you a general report on the botanic Garden and the special scientific institutions connected therewith.² I deemed it advisable to render this document as full and extensive as the short time allotted for its preparation would admit, being uncertain what branch of the department might be more particularly of interest to H. R. Highness.³ I moreover understood from Mr Bryerly, that official information on the public institutions of Victoria would be utilized for a record of the present voyage of the Galatea, hence it appeared to me that from a more extensive report likely such passages would be selected as may appear to the Royal visitor of prominent interest.

I beg respectfully to remark, in reference to the request of furnishing information on the bot Gardens of this colony, that I am not entrusted with any authority or invested with any power to share in the formation or administration of any of these institutions. Consequently I have no official information on the public Gardens of the different towns of Victoria, this information being only available on application to the respective administrative bodies, consisting in most instances of the Municipalities, or trustees.

I have the honor to be,

Sir,

your most obedient

Ferd Mueller.

The honorable

the Chief Secretary