Bairnsdale1 Octr 7th
Baron von Mueller
Dear Sir
I have intended writing you a report on the grasses you kindly sent me last year.
I planted fifteen varieties eighteen inches apart they mostly came up but the great heat of the summer destroyed a many sorts
The gigantick fodder grass I sowed too early and it was cut of by the frost
I will copy the names as near as I can from your writing the Botanical names I could not make out I wish you would send me the English names
[…]2 pua salina3 appears an excellent fodder grass I have an enormous crop at the present time I will cut a half of it for experiment I do not think it will perfect seed here
The Cockfoot4 answers well it is a splendid grass for G L5
Pea elateri6 the seeds that came up on this row is a species of couch grass I will enclose a seed stem and root I believe it to be an excellent grass it is the same plant as I asked you the name of that you required the seed stem It is a beautiful grass for lawn & a very sweet grass for cattle
sincerely Yours
James Bankin
Pea elateri
Pua salina
Please cite as “FVM-79-10-07a,” 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