To John MacPherson   28 January 1870

Melbourne bot. Garden,

28/1/70

Sir

In compliance with your instructions I have the honor to transmit to you the following quantities of seeds, fresh secured for the Central Government of India.

10 lb

Blue Gumtree

Seeds

3 lb

Iron Bark tree

"

3 lb

Stringybark tree

"

3 lb

Peppermint tree

"

These seeds have been carefully packed in a tinlined box, and the latter is addressed to the Assistant Secretary of the Foreign Department of Calcutta.

An account of £14.2/ from Mr Adamson will be submitted, as this amount is due for this consigment,1 exclusive of the Ironbark seed.2 The latter has been obtained from the ranges beyond Bendigo, but as I have been able hitherto to secure only 3 lb of this kind of seeds, and as a larger quantity is asked for (20 lb, vide Mr Seton Karr's letter 1974)3 the account of the small quatity hitherto obtained will be presented when the next supply has arrived. I may however remark, that in consequence of the tedious and difficult task to collect the Ironbark seeds they cannot be obtained at a less price than 30/ per lb.

I have the honor to be,

Sir, your obedient servant

Ferd. von Mueller

 

The honorable the Chief Secretary

 
 
1
consignment?
2
The account has not been found, but a letter register entry dated 29 January 1870 lists 'A/c for seeds supplied to Govt. of India' (No. 864, vol. 1870 V, VPRS 1168/P inward correspondence registers, VA 475 Chief Secretary's Department, Public Record Office, Victoria).
3
Seton-Karr's letter is quoted in n. 2 to M to W. Odgers, 11 August 1869 (in this edition as 69-08-11a).

Please cite as “FVM-70-01-28,” 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 19 April 2024, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/vonmueller/letters/70-01-28