24/4/66
I can assure you, dear Dr Anderson, that I am deeply indebted to you for your circumspect liberality in continuing to send me the seeds of your noble firs & cypress pines. How we used them will to some small extent be explained by my gardenplan sent to you.1 There is an endless demand here for the noble conifers of your mountains. I wished, it was possible to get acorns of any of your oaks. I have a good lot of mediterranean Quercus & some of the N. American species, but beyond one imported plant of Q. lanata (from Europe imported!) not a single specimen of the 150 spec. of Asiatic Oaks, all of which would thrive in our climate. I have sent by the P. & O. S. N. Company's2 Steamer just now 3 collections of Austral seeds & besides a lot of Eucalyptus seed of different kinds, which will be useful in the hilly cold districts Pray send it to your commilitones,3 who so kindly exerted themselfes to get us the pine seeds, & who likely are willing to send us acorns in quantity. The latter I find travel best when well dried of exterior moisture & then simply put in canvass bags, admitting of the escapeof any exudating humidity. I have sent to the Agri-Hort. Soc of Calcutta through the Acclim. Soc of Vict. & by the P. & O S. N. Comp. Ship a case of Araucaria excelsa & A. Bidwillii as desired.
Mr Blech[yden] might assist in sending Acorns here. Will you kindly ask that Gentleman?
If you desire it, I will send you one or two cases of Araucaria also, though my sendings of living plants have been often disheartening unsuccessful
Ever your regardful
Ferd. Mueller
Can I be of any use to any of your scientific unions?
Araucaria Bidwillii
Araucaria excelsa
Eucalyptus
Quercus lanata
Please cite as “FVM-66-04-24,” 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 26 April 2024, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/vonmueller/letters/66-04-24