18/5/84
Allow me, dear Mr Dyer, to mention, as likely interesting to you, some circumstances connected with vegetable articles for Museum-purposes here. Two collections exist; one in the technologic Museum, which arose from the collections of the intercolonial Exhibition of 1867;1 it contains all that I had intended for a Museum of the bot. Garden at the time; but as it was decided by the Ministry then, that the technol. Museum next the great public library should be the receptacle also for my articles, I was prevented to form a Museum in the bot. Garden;2 and should ever such be approved of, then clearly such a bot. Museum should be connected with the Herbarium and be under my or any future Gov. Botanists control.
The second industrial Museum is formed in the large building of the international Exhibition of 1880-1881.3 This Museum contains also a fairly large botanic display of technologic articles, and this collection is under my control.4 I cannot think, that at these times of reductions of public expenditure, after the colonial debt has become so great, the Government will ever sanction the expenditure here of a third bot. Museum; especially as in the bot. garden here thelawn element is prevailing, and no scientific working power, worth mentioning, exists there. As in Sydney and Adelaide no Offices of Gov Botanist exist, the bot Museums there are in the bot. Garden amalgamated with the horticultural establishments; if a Gov. Botanist was there, he would clearly in Museum matters not be passed.5
Please cite as “FVM-84-05-18,” 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 23 April 2024, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/vonmueller/letters/84-05-18