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From Stanley Dobson to James Service   12 Sep 1884

73 Chancery Lane

12 Septr 84

My dear Mr Service

You may remember that some months ago I talked to you and Sargood in the railway van about the advantages to be derived from the publication of a Key to the Botany of this Colony. I have not been idle since that time and have at last persuaded Baron v. Müller to undertake its compilation.1 He has money enough in his present vote for the purpose but I understand that he will have to get your permission to set about the work. As I know something about Botany and as I feel the great want of such a work in every walk I take I hope I may without much trouble induce you to approve of the proposition. I have had personal experience of the very great impulse that was given to the study of Botany by the publication of a similar work in Tasmania by the late Revd W. Spicer2 and I feel so confident as to the results of our own Key when published that I beg to express the anxious hope that you will give your sanction.3

Yrs very faithfully

Stanley Dobson

The Hon Jas Service

1

See M to G. Berry, 11 September 1884 (in this edition as 84-09-11a).

2

Spicer (1878).

3

See also, in the same file, S. Dobson to G. Berry, 13 September 1884.

4

MS annotation by unknown: 'Is pubn For S. Schools Public at large 16.9.84'.

Please cite as “FVM-M84-09-12,” 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 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/vonmueller/letters/M84-09-12