To Julius Haast   25 June 1866

25/6/66

 

Es thut mir recht innig leid, theuerer Freund, von dem Leiden Ihrer Gemahlin zu hören. Es scheint doch dass Ihr Winterclima der Dame nicht zuträglich sei. Bitte bringen Sie ihr meine freundlichsten Grüsse. Für Ihren Garten will ich Ihnen demnächst eine Sendung Samen schicken, es sind gerade keine abgekapselt u die Arbeit ist etwas zeitraubend. Wenn irgend möglich (nachdem ich mehr als 50,000 Pflanzen an die Kirchhöfe &c &c seit Mai [weggab]) sende ich auch lebende Pflanzen.

Es soll mich ausserordentlich freuen Sie auch als College der Gesellschaft zu begrüssen, in welcher Newton einst präsidirte. Hooker schreibt mir, dass er jetzt keine Zeit für N Z Pflanzen erübrigen kann. Ich glaub's wohl inmitten der Directoratsarbeiten. Ihr Herbar soll stets bei critischen Untersuchungen Beachtung finden. Hooker hat jetzt auch Gleichenia Hermanni, aber immer noch nicht Ihre Schizaea fistulosa.

Es ist sehr gütig von Ihnen u Ihrer Gemahlin mich zu Ihrer gastlichen Wohnung einzuladen; aber so lange die gegenwärtige Civil service Bill in Ausübung bleibt bin ich wie ein Gefangener an das Department gekettet.

Auf Hr Chevaliers Rückkehr freue ich mich sehr.

Travers sendet mir heute ein Trichomanes.

Stets verehrungsvoll

Ihr

Ferd. Mueller

 

Bis jetzt besitzt unser Garten noch nicht Pittospor umbellatum

 
 
 

25 June 1866.

 

I am most deeply sorry, dear friend, to hear of your wife's ailment. It does seem that your winter climate does not agree with the lady. Please give her my kindest regards. I shall shortly send you a consignment of seeds for your garden, at the moment none are removed from their seed capsules and that is a rather time-consuming job. If at all possible (after I have given away more than 50,000 plants to the cemeteries &c., &c., since May) I will also send living plants.

It will please me quite extraordinarily to be able to welcome you also as a colleague of the Society over which Newton once presided.1 Hooker writes to me that he can now spare no time for New Zealand plants. I can well believe it in the midst of the directorate work.2 Your herbarium will always be considered during critical examinations. Hooker now has Gleichenia hermannii, too, but still not your Schizaea fistulosa.

It is very kind of you and your wife to invite me to your hospitable home. But for as long as the present Civil Service Bill is in force, I remain chained to my Department here like a prisoner.

I am very much looking forward to Mr Chevalier's return.3

Today Travers has sent me a Trichomanes.

Always respectfully

your

Ferd. Mueller.

 

So far our Garden does not have any Pittosporum umbellatum.

 

Gleichenia hermannii

Pittosporum umbellatum

Schizaea fistulosa.

 
1
The Royal Society of London. At Haast's request, Joseph Hooker had organized Haast's nomination as FRS, through Andrew Ramsay. However, Hooker was uneasy about Haast’s being elected before James Hector, because '1. Hectors claims are far higher as previous Geologist to American Expedition; 2. Hector is Director Genl of Geolog. Survey of all N. Z. & high above Haast who is only provincial Geologist to Canterbury. 3. There is an ugly attack made on Haast in the Colony, for appropriating some other mans facts & theories bodily.' Hooker therefore consulted others and organized Hector's nomination, without gaining his consent (See J. Hooker to C. Darwin  [23] December 1865; in Burkhardt et al. (2002), pp. 331-2. See also C. Darwin to J. Haast, 5 May 1866; in Burhhardt et al. (2004), p. 153. Hector was elected in 1866 (Royal Society Archives, EC/186/05); Haast in 1867 (EC/1867/06). Ramsay, who also signed Hector's certificate, had warned Haast that he was unlikely to be elected in 1866 (J. Haast to C. Darwin 8 September 1866; Burkhardt et al. (2004), pp. 309-10). M was not listed as one of Haast’s sponsors, the nomination being managed entirely in England as M's had been.
2
See J. Hooker to M, 1 March 1866.
3
Nicholas Chevalier was visiting New Zealand with his wife and painting there. See also M to J. Haast, 27 November 1865 and 3 June 1866.

Please cite as “FVM-66-06-25,” 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 27 April 2024, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/vonmueller/letters/66-06-25