To George Bentham   8 November 1882

8/11/82

It is always with gladness, dear Mr Bentham, that I receive letters from you. If I have not often adressed you within the last few years, you must seek the cause in my reluctance of encroaching on your valuable time, which with your unimpaired energy you devote still to such important and difficult subjects in phytographic science. I renew my wish, that you may be spared for scientific purposes to an age like that of Humboldt, and longer still.¹ I look forward with deep interest to the part of your & Hooker's celebrated "genera plantarum", containing the Monocotyledoneae and the Supplements;² and still hope, that you and he will be induced to see the work really completed by the aid of great workers on "Evasculares", such as Berkeley, Agardh and other specialists before they pass away.

Unfortunately I cannot avail myself of your & Sir Joseph's new observations on Monocotyledoneae in time for my Census of Australian plants, as that publication is under contract at a private printer and must be through the press, so far as Vasculares are concerned, by the end of this year.³ This issue ought greatly to facilitate reference to Australian plants, and I hope to bring out the "Evasculares" (hitherto about 4000 species) in 1883,⁴ with supplement to the Vasculares, because I have not been able to work up all the additional collections in my Museum, irrespective of such as may still arrive from new localities. My efforts, to keep up correspondence in many parts of Australia, are very great, and I leave the writing table seldom before midnight, there being also so much routine-work in my Department, without the former facilities for it.

In the preface to the Census you will find allusions pleasing to yourself, I trust.⁵

As regards an eight volume of the flora,⁶ I merely wished to give the bare description of nearly 1000 vascular plants, added to my collections successively. The sequence would of course be precisely that of the 7 volumes, as otherwise confusion would arise; but I shall let it stand over til 1884,⁷ as I expect yet some specific addenda from collectors in 1883. Your Flora Australiensis must ever be the full foundation for systematic native Botany in this part of the Globe; but there is no necessity for alteration or geographic addition, though for specific addenda.

The Census is arranged in accordance with the method, in which my Museum collections are placed, and was originally not intended for publication, but merely for use in my herbarium-working. But the issue of it in print facilitates my transactions with Australian Correspondents.

I feel it quite a comfort to sort out collections in my Museum in the manner indicated in the Census, as thus I get out of the ambiguity of many Amyliferae or Curvembryoneae &c. Indeed the Census does not offer a new system, such as recently Eichler's,⁸ J. Muellers,⁹ Caruel's,¹⁰ but merely brings the chaotic mass of Apetalae or Monochalmydeae into order; therefore my arrangement is that of Juss. & D.C.¹¹ with only one modification.

Let me hope, that your health will continue firm, and that your interest in phytography will continue for many years yet a leading one, especially as your eyesight has remained unimpaired.

Very regardfully your

Ferd. von Mueller

The fire in the Gov. Printing Office here has prevented the continuation of the Eucalyptography¹² & the Fragm.¹³ but both will go on again soon, & into the Fragm. I will collect, what became lately scattered.

Amyliferae

Apetalae

Curvembryoneae

Monochalmydeae

Monocotyledoneae