From Niel Black to Ferdinand von Mueller   28 June 1873

D'Estaville, Kew1

28th June 1873

My Dear Baron

Within the last few years a weed has sprung up in the Western District before unknown there, it is usually known there by the name of "Native Camomile" Its tendency to spread far surpasses any thing I ever saw, It is most pernicious and cannot be destroyed by ploughing, It seems to master any kind of cereal crop, In my opinion it is far more difficult to get it eradicated than thistle I enclose a sample of it and will take it very kind if you will let me know the scientific as also the English name of the plant as I would like to get a Rule introduced in Parliat2 for its destruction before it overruns the whole Colony If the specimen enclosed hereunto is too small I will be able to send a larger sample in a few days I remain

My Dear Baron

yours very truly

Niel Black

Baron Von Mueller

&c &c &c

Melbourne.

Parliament.

MS found with a specimen of Anthemis cotula (MEL 2101260).

Please cite as “FVM-73-06-28,” 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 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/vonmueller/letters/73-06-28