Melbourne bot Garden
3/8/68
Allow me to point out, dear Mr Fitzgibbon, that the ploughed stripe of ground along the Yarra would required to be harrowed, for which process it would be now well fit. I am anxious to put into it young trees very soon, & the tree-seeds whenever night frosts are not likely to be any longer severe. The process of raking the ground would be a very tedious one. So perhaps the City Council would be so kind to have the harrowing done. The young trees are already in readiness. I must also ask the Gentlemen of the Council to allow the two men, now at work, when they have finished the willow planting, to assist in the planting of the ploughed ground for a few weeks.1 We will then make a good work of it. I have also to tender my best thanks for the graceful manner, in which to my humble services was alluded in the Argus, when the very extensive and laudable operations of the City Council were detailed.2 At the close of the planting I shall not fail to submit a report.
With regardful salutation
Ferd. von Mueller3
The employment by the City Council of two men for two months to prepare ground for planting willows on the city side of the Yarra had been approved on 27 May 1868, see M to E. FitzGibbon, 20 June 1868 and notes thereto.
'Improvements on the Upper Yarra Bank', Argus, 23 July 1868, p. 5, summarized the work and concluded 'The willows and other trees are all supplied by the Botanic-gardens. The corporation have the ground prepared and the holes dug for them; but, in fact, the work is under the direction of Dr. Von Mueller, who takes a proper and praiseworthy interest in the enterprise. It is when great improvements like those above described are effected in such a way that the community feels once more how valuable our Botanic-gardens are.'
M's letter was read at a meeting of the Melbourne City Council's Health Committee on 5 August 1868, when it was agreed: 'Chairman instructed to report to Council recommending that authority be given for the continued employment of the two men for one fortnight Mr Felstead instructed to cause the furrow along the River Bank to be [harrowed]' (Unit 1, VPRS 4039, Public Record Office, Victoria).
Please cite as “FVM-68-08-03a,” 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