From Frederick Bailey   27 February 1895

February 27 [189]51

Dear Baron

Let me hope that you may retain the position you have enjoyed for so many years to the end of your days. This is truly my heart felt desire and I express it in words at the present, there being a rumour about similar to the one some years ago, as to your retirement which I hope is false.2

Enclosed find slip bearing descriptions of two new plants one of which according to my friend Dr Jos. Lauterer is likely to prove of importance in an economic sense.3

I am now and again receiving botanic specimens from New Guinea but for want of the literature upon the subject am unable in many instances to determine them prior to placing them in the herbarium. I therefore would be obliged if you would send me copies of all you may have published except the following which I have Papuan Plants I by [...] Descriptive notes on Papuan Plants [VI] by F. v.M4 [...] [P...] of N Guinea collected by Sir Wm Macgregor by J. G. Baker5 [...] I dont know where to purchase your publications upon the N. G. flora or would not trouble you upon the subject — I would however willingly pay for them. I am much obliged for the Rhodomyrtus macrocarpa specimens, they only differ from mine by being smaller. See Gard. Chron. Dec. 22/94 Red poison fruit where a doubt is expressed about the plant sent to Dr Cooke by me6 — I thought and indeed was satisfied as to the correctness of my determination & from your specimens am now certain that I was correct but when diseased fruits differ much in forming & this & the lesser foliage made the two people think there might be a doubt about them

Ever yours very truly

F. Manson Bailey

 

P.S. [...] only you could [...] to our [...] [...]

 

Rhodomyrtus macrocarpa

 
editorial addition.

Bailey may have interpreted press reports as a firm indication that M was to retire. The Brisbane courier , 20 February 1895, p. 5, reported that at a meeting of the Victorian Public Service Board on 18 February it had been decided that M 'should continue his services until the end of the present year'. Other Queensland press reports of the same meeting certainly made this assumption: 'Three noted men will shortly retire from the public service. Mr. Hayter the Government Statistician, is to retire … end of next month, and Mr. Ellery, Government Astronomer, at then end of June. Baron Von Mueller's services are to be retained until the end of the year' ( Gympie times , 21 February 1885, p. 2).

In 1892 it had been proposed that the office of Government Botanist be abolished (see T. Wilson to M, 15 January 1892), but after a press campaign (see notes to M to T. Wilson, 23 January 1892), the post was continued (see M to T. Wilson, 31 January 1892). In January 1895, two of M's assistants were transferred to the Department of Agriculture, but he managed to have one transferred back iin April (see F. Reddin to M, 28 January 1895 and notes thereto).

Enclosure not found.
B85.06.03.
Baker (1890).
Cooke (1894): 'fruits and leaves sent to Kew are stated to be quite different from the fruit and leaves of the Rhodomyrtus macrocarpa of Bentham, and also those of Baron Mueller'.

Please cite as “FVM-95-02-27,” 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 29 March 2024, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/vonmueller/letters/95-02-27