From Joseph Augustine1    23 September 1875

Stanley2 23rd Sept 1875,

Baron Von Mueller Gov Botanist

 

Sir

I have the honour to acknowledge receipt of your kind reply to my previous note respecting the seed of the Tramoso.

The seeds of this plant would be easily procurable at St Michael's, in the Western Islands,3 and would be at once recognisable by the name Tramoso, and I have no doubt they would be gladly procured by the British Consul there at your request.

I shall, very probably, be in Melbourne during the coming Summer, and I shall do myself the honour of waiting upon and explain more fully the use of the plant, mode of cultivation &c.4

I have the honour to be Sir

Your obedient Servant

Joseph Augustine

M has written on the back of the letter : Can Dr Hooker kindly inform me, what this plant is, and if of value procure the seeds. F. V. M.

Annotations by Joseph Hooker(?) on front page in pencil: DO and in ink An. (letter not found); and on the back of the sheet in ink by Joseph Hooker(?): Tremoço | = Lupinus albus. In another hand in ink: Written to Gr[…].

Near Beechworth, Vic.
São Miguel, Azores?
M's account of Lupinus albus in B76.13.03, p. 121, includes: 'It is famed as the "Tramoso" in Portugal, to suppress sorrel and other obstinate weeds by its close and easy growth. The lentil-like seeds … through boiling or soaking in salt water, become edible'. Similar passages occur in later editions of the work, e.g., B85.13.26, p. 204.

Please cite as “FVM-75-09-23,” 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 19 March 2024, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/vonmueller/letters/75-09-23