From Ferdinand von Mueller to James Barnard   2 Apr 1883

2/4/83

It is very kind of you, dear Mr Barnard, to send me a copy of your new part of the R.S. transactions,¹ for which we all are doubly indebted to you, as the Hon. Secr. of the Society and as the Editor and publisher at your own excellent Establishment. It needs not my assurance, that I would be happy to respond to your call of contributing again to the new or rather another litterary issue of the Society. But altho' I have just finished the Vasculares of the Census of Australian plants,² and thus my hands are somewhat freer for other work, I have no material that would be of special Tasmanian interest for a new contribution to the Society's publication. In vain have I asked many residents there to send occasionally a few dried plants by post from less frequented localities. The year 1882 has been the least fruitful of all for adding to the Flora; Mr Kaiser³ kindly sent some specimens from the bot. unexplored regions of Mt Bishop,⁴ but they were lost on the way; he may send more yet, and thus afford data for an other record; so it may be in King's and Flinders's Island. Surely the surveyors in the N.W. might put a few specimens into their empty provision-bags on return-journeys. The "Census,"⁵ sent to the Society, will show, how much Tasmania is interested in this also

Regardfully your

Ferd. von Mueller

Best salutation to Dr Barnard⁶ when next you write him.