Melbourne
Octr. 12. 1871.
Sir,
I have the honor to inform you that your letter of the 2d inst: complaining of the reply forwarded by me to the queries of the Botanic Garden Inquiry Board1 with reference to the 9547 plants of various kinds supplied to the Melbourne General Cemetery from the Botanic Gardens Melbourne since the commencement of 1859 was brought before the Trustees2 of the Cemetery at their meeting yesterday, and in reply I am directed to state that the queries above referred to were addressed to me and answered by me (after questioning the Gardener on the subject) without reference to the Board of Trustees.
I am also directed by the Trustees to state that the large and valuable collection of plants received from you has greatly contributed to the present satisfactory appearance of the Cemetery, and that they have always most cordially passed you votes of thanks for the same, also that they do not for a moment see how you can be held responsible for the success or non-success of any plants after their removal from the Botanic Gardens.
As far as I am myself concerned in this matter, I can only say that I deeply regret that my reply to the above mentioned questions should have caused you the slightest uneasiness, and I am still in hopes that the suggestion in my reply may assist in causing more liberal supplies being granted you for the purpose of extending the operations of the valuable establishment und[er] your control.
I have the honor to be
Sir,
Your most obedient Servant
A. Purchas.
To Dr Von Mueller F.R.S.
&c &c &c
Director Botanic Gardens
Melbourne
See M to A. Purchas, 2 October 1871, and Purchas's initial reply, A. Purchas to M, 2 October 1871 (in this edition as 71-10-02a) and notes thereto.
Robert Williams Pohlman (Chairman), Charles McCarthy, David Ogilvy, Robert Smith, Frederick Cooper, Isaac Hart.
For a draft copy of this letter see Letter book 2, no. 80.
Please cite as “FVM-71-10-12,” 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