20th June 1879
My dear Sir.
I enclose you a Circular from the Italian Government relative to the diseases &c of the Citron family Also an extract from a newspaper and one from a book I lately read.1
I am quite alarmed at the destruction caused here by one of the "Coccidae". It has only appeared here of late years, but it is ruining every orange and lime tree in the place.
It attacks numerous other plants and I have even found it in the far bush on ferns. The natives have no name for it, and it was not here when I came to the country2 in 1865.
Most likely this coccus is the one referred to in the printed extract enclosed and we may have imported it as there described.
Some years ago I remember that in Mauritius they suffered from a parasite to which the local name of "pou blanc" was given but a "pou rouge"3 was introduced which ate up its white brother and at same time did no harm.
If with your great knowledge of plant life you could give me any advice on this point I should be greatly obliged.
It appears to me that the use of "Kerosene or linseed oil" even if effective could never be carried out to any extent and I am anxious to know whether the insect has a "natural enemy" in Australia that could be imported.
I am preparing a set of Ferns which I hope to send you shortly.
Believe me
My dear Sir
Very faithfully yours
Jno B Thurston.
Please cite as “FVM-79-06-20,” 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