From John Brown   23 December 1878

Forest Board Office,

Adelaide, 23/12/78.

Baron Von Muller MD

Sir,

Enclosed I beg to hand you letter of introduction to yourself which I received some days ago from Mr Goyder,¹ Surveyor General.

I have the honor to acknowledge receipt of your favor of the 18th inst² — for which please accept of my best thanks.

When up country sometime ago, I came across the tree which you describe as "E. leucoxylon," and as I am new as yet to the Australian Flora and did not know this one, I sent you a branchlet intending to write you on the subject immediately on my return to town. I returned two days ago and was [going to …]³ with you when [your] letter arrived.

As I have said, the Austral[ian Flora] is new to me as yet, and as I find great difficulty in getting reliable information on the subject of the proper Botanical names of our indigenous trees, I thought the better plan would be to refer specimens of those kinds which I did not know, to an authority in such matters in order that I might obtain their proper classifications — hence Mr Goyder's letter of introduction. If, therefore, I do not intrude too much upon your valuable time, I should like to send you specimens for this purpose from time to time as I find them in flower.

By today's post, I have taken the liberty to send you four specimens, about the names of the trees of which there is considerable doubt here. These are:

no. 1.	Apparently a variety of E. rostrata
" 2 —	A fine tree resembling —do—
" 3 —	Called "Sugar Gum" by colonists — not described by Bentham
" 4 —	A tree with [fine] foliage — not in flower yet.

When convenient to yourself, I should like to hear from you giving the Botanical names of these species of Eucalyptus and stating where I could find their specific character.

Apologising for the trouble I am giving you

I am

Sir

Your obt st.⁴

J. E. Brown

Eucalyptus leucoxylon

Eucalyptus rostrata