14/4/78.
After a very long pause, dear Professor Gray, I again write to you. I was almost on the point of meeting you & Hooker1 in California, as a friend of my youth, Dr. Behr, invited me since years; and just when you travelled with Hooker, I was out of health & intended to go across the pacific to California; but finally I was induced to spend the 3 months leave in West Australia, where I travelled observation-lines of 1500 miles in 9 weeks, 900 miles on horseback.
If you care for them, I can send you spare-specimens from W. Austr, having collected overland right north to Shark-Bay.
By this mail I send you & also the Academy2 the 10th vol. of the Fragmenta.3 Pray send me the number of the journal, should you condescend to refer to the work.4
Now I have a special favor to ask. Could you spare one day of your precious time to cast your eyes over my "select plants"5 of which you will have a copy, and in the preface to which volume I alluded to yourself.6 It is my intention to issue a new edition at the end of this year, and, I like to make it as complete as circumstances will permit, and for which I have collected many supplemental notes, so that the volume (even as far as my present supplements extend) will reach 400 pages.7 From your semisaecular8 experience an immensity of additional notes could easily be obtained, particularly since you saw the western states personally. You would get due credit for them.
Perhaps you might be in the position to extend your favors so far, as to procure for me also any publications of the Centennial Exhibition9 bearing on Utilitarian plants. If not accessible from Government, I would willingly remit for such sending.
Now, my venerable friend, if there is anything also, I can do for you, pray command unhesitatingly my services. With poor Steetz I also say, it is always a festive day when a letter arrives from Asa Gray.10
Regardfully your
Ferd von Mueller.
Joseph Hooker spent ten weeks in the United States in the summer of 1877, mostly botanizing with Asa Gray in the western states.
American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Boston.
Published during 1876 and 1877, with bound volumes issued in March 1878 (B78.03.10).
No review by Gray of this volume of Fragmenta has been found.
B76.12.04.
Gray was one of a number whom M listed as authors of 'original observations' on 'utilitarian plants'.
The preface of the next edition, published by the Government of India in 1880, is dated December 1878; see B80.13.07.
i.e. half-century.
Centennial Exposition, Philadelphia, 1876.
In M to A. Gray, 22 April 1873, M wrote 'Many years ago … our late friend Dr Steetz wrote to me that it is always a festival day when to him a letter arrived from you'. See also M to S. Watson, 15 May 1888.
Please cite as “FVM-78-04-14,” 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