From Ferdinand von Mueller to William Odgers   23 June 1870

Melbourne botanic Garden

23/6/70

Sir

In reply to your letter N.1502¹ I have the honor to inform you, that the Canadian Tree seeds were on my special solicitations and in answer to a direct request from myself secured by Sir John Young, G.C.B., G.C.M.S., it having been my privilege to be in correspondence with his Excellency for a series of years. These seeds were landed out of the "Crusader" on the 14 May, and at once unpacked and placed in a cool dry position in the office building. It was ascertained, that most of the seeds would suffer decay if sown in the earlier part of this damp season. It was therefore deemed best to sow the main lot in July, great success having attended the sowing of tree seeds of the United States, such as I owed repeatedly to the generosity of my celebrated friend Professor Dr. Asa Gray of Boston, when such sowings were effected in that month. I directed however at once, that meanwhile a small portion of each kind, should be sown under glass, along with other important seeds, received recently from the Himalaias, California and other parts of the globe. This sowing of portions of the Canadian Seeds has been effected as well in the nursery at the lake as in the pits near the fern gully, the double sowing increasing the chances of success.

The Government of New Zealand having learnt by a note in one of the Melbourne journals,² that those seeds had been secured for us, I was asked by that Government through Dr. Hector,³ to supply a share for the N. Zealand forests. A small portion of each kind was accordingly sent to Dr. Hector, with whom I am in frequent interchanges, and I was all the more glad to comply with this request because the forest soil and the climate of Wellington being likely to prove alike adapted for Canadian trees.

I avail myself of this opportunity respectfully to submit, for the consideration of the honorable the Chief Secretary, how advantageous it would be, if in some genial sheltered forest valleys with rich soil and on spots, which command water for irrigation, forest depots for nurseries could be formed, with a view of sending thereto any larger quantities of imported tree seeds. Not merely would the chances of growth be very much augmented, but the plants, when once grown can then easily be planted out in the forests, whereas the sendings from Melbourne would always be difficult and expensive and in some instances as regards larger numbers almost an impossibility. One Gardener and one boy in each forest district would suffice.

I have the honor to be,

Sir,

your obedient servant

Ferd. von Mueller

Direct. botan Garden

The Undersecretary

I avail myself of the kind services of Dr. H. Rickards, the Surgeon of the Crusader, in sending under his care a case with living plants to Dr Hooker, the Director of the Royal botanic Garden of Kew in interchange. Dr Rickards brought the Canadian seeds. Sir John Young sent no seeds to Sydney.