Melbourne
25/3/74
By last mail already I explained the reason, dear Prof. Parlatore, which prevented me from accepting the highly honorable duties of one of the jurors of the great Florence Exhibition,1 and thus I am also prevented to enjoy meeting you & other scientific friends personally, while perhaps the opportunity of shaking hands with you & them may not reoccur.2
I had hoped to be able to send on my private expense some Todeas and other exhibition plants to Florence, official means for the purpose after application to the Minister of the Department having been refused me,3 but as I had to proceed on departmental duties to the S. W. country districts I could not arrange it in time.
By this months steamer I have however sent you about 400 species of Museum-plants, among which most likely the Restiaceae will interest you most. The parcel is forwarded free to Brindisi, and the Agent of the Penins. & Orient Steam Navig. [Company in]4 Brindisi would, on application, forward the package.
vol. IV & V of the Fragmenta5 I send you through my London Agents, Mess Blackith & Coy, Cox's Quay, Lower Thames St.
With every wish of a grand success of your Exhibition
your
Ferd von Mueller
Please cite as “FVM-74-03-25b,” 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