From Frederick Bailey   3 June 1893

June 3rd [189]3

Dear Baron Mueller

You seem to take it hard that I should prepare a volume to supplement Bentham's work the Flora Australiensis.¹ But the work is wanted and who is to do it? You have all along ignored the nomenclature & classification of Bentham and I have followed it in all my publication. Thus can you wonder at my being asked to supply the matter for a supplementary volume. You have studiously treated all plants named or determined by me with contempt, never could you possibly avoid it allowing such to a place in your works on the general flora. Therefore I cannot consider you capable of doing justice to the portion of Australia to which I have the honor to be the Government Botanist. In conclusion I beg to state that I never pushed myself forward to do the proposed work, infact when repeatedly asked to undertake it have steadily declined. But at last seeing how persistantly you worked to throw discredit upon the work of Bentham I consented to undertake its compilation. And when you received my circular² had you written me that you were preparing not a Muellerian volume but a supplementary volume following Benthams system & style I would have gladly left the work in your hands, and will do so even now if you assure me that such shall be done and that my work will not be ignored or tampered with —³

an early answer will oblige

yours very truly

F. M. Bailey

Baron Ferd von Mueller

Melbourne