From Alexander Crawford1    6 August 1887

Moona Plains

Walcha2

Baron F von Mueller, KCMG, &c &c

 

Dear Sir —

Long promised at length I send you the Eucalypt I wrote to you about, 12 months ago, fine weather having set in I got down to the lower station, and up to the piece of Table land where it grows. flowers were not obtainable, but by cutting down a young tree I got leaves and fruits, the young bushes at the present time appear as if the leaves had been dipped in hot water, I suppose effects of frost, we have had but few and thos not severe this winter.

All the specimens are from the same tree, the young leaves are from a sprout on the butt of the tree, from the poverty of the soil and probably deficient rainfall, this species does not attain a greater heigt than 100 feet, diameter about 3 to 4 feet, there are some fine Eucalypts of other species growing close to it, the common Stringy-bark, and what is called Blue Gum about here I sent specimens of the latter but unfortunately did not recieve the name. I am almost certain that a letter from you with names of several Eucalypts has gone astray. Some trees of the species just mentioned were, 4 to 5 feet diameter with 100 feet of a clean stem, measurements aproximate as unfortunately in the hurry of starting I forgot my tape line —

I have the honour to be

Baron

Your most obedient

A. R. Crawford

 

Augst 6th 1887

 

Description of specimens.

Eucalypt, supposed to be E. globulus. height about 100 feet, diameter, 3 to 4 feet, Habitat, on scrubby and rocky ridge forming the N. bank of the Stoney creek which runs E an W. is on a small piece of Table land called "Carri", in the Eastern side of N England, about 5 or 6 miles from the boundary of the Macleay district.

I had a beautiful Fung, microscopic, but out of a dozen specimens did not get one home safely. I even carried some in a small box, the resembled, a miniature Agave colour white they grew on the bark of a Exocarpus cupressiformis & tasted as bitter as the bark of the tree —

 

Eucalyptus globulus

Exocarpus cupressiformis

 
1
MS annotation by M: 'Answ 16/8/87'. No letter dated 16 August 1887 from M to Crawford has been found, but see M to A. Crawford, 15 August 1887 (in this edition as 87-08-15a).
2
NSW.

Please cite as “FVM-87-08-06,” 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 28 April 2024, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/vonmueller/letters/87-08-06