Melbourne
2 July 1884.
To the honorable Graham Berry, M.L.A.,
Chief Secretary.
Sir
I have the honor to report, that I have learnt by last mail, that the Jurors at the international horticultural Exhibition of St. Petersburg have awarded the special Prize, placed as a Gold medal by the Minister of the Imperial Domaines at their disposal, to the Giant-Todea fern, which in the interest of the Colony I contributed from my Department to that Exhibition.1 Whenever the medal arrives I shall do myself the honor of transmitting it to you as this special medal must be regarded as Governments Property; and perhaps you will allow me to suggest, that it be placed with other medals, awarded to my Department formerly, in the Art Museum next to the public library. I would fain hope, that the expectation, under which I responded to the call of the Horticultural Society of Petersburg, to participate in the Exhibition, is fulfilled, namely that the Victorian vegetable resources be in some way worthily and leadingly represented on this occasion before the horticultural world; and that thus also an additional export for mercantile gain may arise to our colony.
I have the honor to be, Sir,
your obedient servant
Ferd von Mueller,
Gov. Botanist.
Todea
See also M to T. Wilson, 3 April 1884. A certificate from the Imperial Russan Society of Horticulture dated 18 May 1884 O.S. (i.e. 30 May 1884 N.S.), attesting to the award of a gold medal to the Government of the Colony of Victoria for the Todea barbara exhibited in connection with the 1884 International Exhibition of Horticulture in St Petersburg, is at No. 382 P, drawer 16, Dixson Library, State Library of New South Wales, Sydney, among a collection of certificates awarded to M. The whereabouts of the medal itself is unknown.
This letter was first registered as B84/5487 in the Chief Secretary's Department, then referred to the Premier for information on 4 July.
Please cite as “FVM-84-07-02,” 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