154 Suggestions for the Introduction of Animals 



to lay before Your Excellency the following proposal, bearing iipon the intro- 

 duction of new and valuable seeds, plants, and animals into this colony. 



' ' Every country is in possession of distinct forms of vegetable or animal 

 life, of perhai:)S great value, yet known only to men of science, whereas, if 

 some means were adopted for their distribution throughout the world, a 

 universal benefit would be conferred upon mankind. 



"In order that this object may be attained, for the advantage of the 

 world generally, and this colony particularly, I have the honor to sug- 

 gest that Yoiu' Excellency should forward a request to the Foreign 

 Office, that a circular may be sent, in the name of Your Excellency, 

 to the Ministers of Foreign States, and to the English Consuls at foreign 

 ports, containing a proposal that collections should be made in each 

 country of all its most valuable seeds, and that a portion of each variety 

 should be forwarded to Your Excellency, upon the understanding that 

 this colony will most gladly reciprocate. 



' ' I have the honor of further suggesting, that if a list of questions, such 

 as are hereto attached, were forwarded along with the circular, the most 

 valuable information might be distributed throughout the world, by the 

 answers received. 



" I have the honor to be, 



' ' Your Excellency's most obedient servant, 



"William Lockhaet Morton." 



LIST OP QUESTIONS TO BE ANSWERED. 



What animals are esteemed of greatest value in your coun- 

 try, and for wliat quality are tliey so esteemed ? 



Could they be procured, and ^ith what facilities ? 



What valuable seeds and plants grow in your country ; and 

 which are esteemed and cultivated most ? 



Will you be good enough to state, in reference both to ani- 

 mals and seeds, every particular necessary for the proper 

 management of the former, and what description of soil and 

 climate, and what mode of cultivation, are most suitable for 

 the latter ? 



Will you please to give immediate instructions to some 

 competent authority to make, without delay, a full collection 

 of all the most valuable seeds grown in your country — inclu- 

 sive of the most esteemed agricultural seeds generally culti- 

 vated for cereal crops, and forward the same (carefully 

 packed to stand the long sea transit) to His Excellency the 

 Governor of Victoria, who will in exchange send to your 

 country a full collection of Australian seeds ? 



In answer to the above communication, I promptly received 

 the following letter from His Excellency's Private Secretary : 



' ' Private Secretary's Office, 



" September 27th, 1 860. 



"Sir, — I am directed by the Governor to state, with reference to your 

 proposal for the introduction of new and valuable plants, seeds, and animals 

 into this colony, that H^s Excellency fully concurs with you as to the ''upor- 



