Melbourne botanic & zoologic Garden,
17. April 1861.
Sir
In compliance with your request I have examined the fibre, submitted by Jam. Woolly Esq of Geelong to you for my inspection, and I beg to inform you, that it is not a species of cotton, but is consisting of the straight elastic seedhair of the Gomphocarpus, a genus of South African asclepiadeous plants, not uncommon in our gardens.
These seed hair possess not the peculiar spiral twisting, which renders the genuine Cotton so coherent and readily woven; nor does it appear, altho asclepiadeous plants occur in very many parts of the globe, that their seedhair can be made advantageously available for textile fabrics.
I may add, that the Gomphocarpi, when cultivated, prove here extremly subject to the attacks of the Aphis.
In regard to your request of adding on this occasion my opinion on the subject of growing Cotton in this colony, it may probably be sufficient to append a copy of a letter, adressed very recently by me on the above question to the Chamber of Commerce of this City.2
I have the honor to be,
Sir,
your most obedient servant
Ferd Mueller,
Gov. Botanist
The honorable J. Brooke Esq., M.L.A.,
President of the Board for Land and Works.
&c &c &c
Gomphocarpus
On 15 April 1861, James Woolley of Geelong wrote to the President of the Board of Land and Works, J. Brooke: 'As I see the subject of Cotton growing has been introduced into the House and you having made answer on the part of the Government [see Argus 13 April 1861, p. 5, col. f], I beg to send the accompanying small sample grown in Geelong and should be extremely obliged if you would cause the two bulbs and bloom be sent to the Govt Botanist, whose opinion and description of the kind is particularly desired, and would be gratefully received with thanks[.] It was planted not knowing what it was and allowed to grow merly as an ornamental shrub, hot winds having no visible effect on it, and is grown on dry sandy soil, whether it is a kind of cotton similar to the Moreton Bay is what we wish to know. It is the finest kind I ever saw though I have had 15 years experience in Cotton Manufacturing in England. I doubt whether it is as strong as Sea Islands, and perhaps not as long in fibre, it is from one or two trees promiscuously taken out of the bulk. I see some of the fibre is lo[nger] and stronger than others, which perhaps has not all been [...] when gathered, and we wish Dr Muellers opinion as to whether the bulbs and bloom are near perfection of their [...] it is the 2nd year of their growth. The first years produce was of not much value inferior both in color and quality'.
On 17 April 1861 Brooke asked: 'Will Dr Mueller oblige me by sending his opinion of the enclosed sample of cotton together with a Report on the subject generally of growing Cotton in this Colony at his earliest convenience'.
Please cite as “FVM-61-04-17,” 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 25 April 2024, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/vonmueller/letters/61-04-17