From Joseph Hooker   13 November 1870

Novr 13 /701

Dear Dr Mueller

I have several letters from you, but must crave excuses for so long delaying to answer — the fact being that all my spare time goes to getting out Rubiaceae for Gen. Plant. & I have to dissect literally thousands of species & remodel the whole order. (by the way I find a scrap of Coffea Benghalensis from Sunday Island Cunningham overlooked by Bentham.

The plants in Calico case2 again arrived all dead: Except Ficus vesca 3 that plan does not answer. Yesterday a Wards case & Box of cuttings of willows &c went on board the x x x4 in care of Mr Winter for you.5

You always say that Loranthus seeds should bear the voyage to England.6 We have received them over & over again but never alive. The viscid pulp decomposes rapidly & destroys the embryo.

Pray do not forget more Todeas Africana. I will gladly pay £10 towards the expenses of a couple of good ones

I am very sorry to hear that you are under the Seniority system in the Gardens; — it is the worst of all.7

Prof Oliver had omitted the Eucalyptus measurements by an oversight.

The roots of Burchardia Caesia &c, arrived [in] very fair order & I do hope to see these lovely spring plants in flower with us.8

Thanks for the seeds of the Ptychosperma, which are always useful. — I am sorry to say we have not Convolvulus scoparius, but I will try to get it for you.9

Ever sincerely yr

Jos D Hooker

 

You will be sorry to see Dr Anderson's death, a most grievous loss to science & to myself10

 

Burchardia

Caesia

Coffea Benghalensis

Convolvulus scoparius

Eucalyptus

Ficus vesca

Loranthus

Ptychosperma

Rubiaceae

Todea Africana

 
1
Letter embossed with emblem of 'Royal Gardens Kew'.
2
See M to J. Hooker, 23 June 1870, in this edition as 70-06-23b.
3
Except Ficus vesca interlined.
4
The vessel was Queen of the Thames, on which Mr S. P. Winter arrived in Melbourne, 15 January 1871(Argus, 16 January 1871, p. 4), having sailed from Gravesend on 18 November 1870 (London Standard, 17 November 1870, p. 7).
5
See M to J. Hooker, 25 February 1871.
6
See M to J. Hooker, 27 February 1870.
7
See M to J Hooker, 11 August 1870.
8
See M to J. Hooker, 13 July 1870.
9
See M to J. Hooker, 10 January 1870.
10
Dr Thomas Anderson, formerly Superintendent of the Calcutta Botanic Gardens, died at Edinburgh on 26 October 1870.

Please cite as “FVM-70-11-13,” 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/70-11-13