To Joseph Hooker   14 July 1868

14/7/68

By the Ship Anglesey, dear Dr Hooker, I have returned the only Wards Case which I had yet from Kew.¹ Some of the plants I sent may be duplicates, but even then they will be useful for interchanges, they being no free-seeders and not well struck from cuttings, (at least most of them.) I trust you will not discontinue your sendings of living plants. There must be such an increase of plants in your conservatories, as to render it a matter of facility to spare us something for our places here. We have not even yet a plant of Sarracenia, Dionaea muscipula &c and we are very poor in the new Gesneriaceae² which are such grateful plants. American Ferns are here also not well represented. You must kindly help me also in leading utilitarian plants, which I can use for lectures and demonstrations. I will on the other hand do what is in my power, as I have shown lately again in sending you such an extensive collection of seeds. Besides you gain always Museum plants from my normal collection. I am always glad to see a plant of mine figured in your fathers noble Magazine.³ It is important to me as Director that I should show also advances in the horticultural branch, to get every possible support from our Legislature. I am sadly overtaxed with work in all directions, the votes, considering the high wages and considering that the 400 acres in our clime have to be kept in order all the year round, the votes being quite in adequate to what is asked from the Department, so much so that my private means must always come in to aid the scientific branches.

From Sir Rod. Murchison I did not hear for a long while, I trust the very estimable and kind man is well. Perhaps Sir Rod. is discontent with the present termination of the Leichhardt search, but I did what lies in the power of a mortal and cannot and could not avoid disasters such as arose from disease and from fieldmovements over which I could not possibly have control. Not only has cost the search me a vast amount of time,⁴ but very much of my private means. The camels are kept in Queensland, and I shall not rest until this geographic and philanthropic enterprise has fulfilled its objects!⁵

Can you spare me a good plant of Caulinia oceanica from your herbarium for comparison with the Aust species⁶

I sympathize much with your losses through such a severe frost! — How unfortunate. We have all to sympathize with each other. From Sir Henry Barkly I have an account of their cyclone which has been as ruinous to the Mauritius as to the Calcutta Garden a former cyclone.⁷ I have not yet recovered the losses and and⁸ effected all repairs of the four floods we have had for the last few years.

Dr Hillebrand, a personal friend of distant years, has probably also much to lament in the dreadful catastrophes in the Sandwich-Group.⁹

With regardful attachment

Y[ou]rs

Ferd. von Mueller

In the last box pr Anglesey I enclosed all my Fungi for Rev Mr Berkeleys inspection. Kew is of course welcome to duplicates. I sent also my Lichens, which you will perhaps place in the Rev Mr Leightons or Dr Lauder Lindsays hands. Should they however be much engaged with work, then please let the Lichens be sent to Dr Sonder for examination by Mr Krempelhuber, the friend of the venerable v. Martius in Munich.¹⁰

Caulinia oceanica

Dionaea muscipula

Gesneriaceae

Sarracenia