30/10/881
From the enclosed letter of the Vict R. S.'s2 Hon. Secr.3 you will see, dear Mr Dyer, that your wishes, regarding the completion of this Serial in the Kew-Library will be attended to4
Mr Rusden had a brother in New England (N.S.W.), who showed at a sheep-station of his in 1843 great hospitality to Leichhardt. A marked tree of the latter was quite recently discovered not far East of the Macdonnell-Ranges, so that the poor lost explorer and his ill-fated Companions must have got to the W. of the Overland-Telegraphline. In a geographic meeting I spoke here about Lt Lapérouse & Capt DeLangles5 in reference to the centenary mourning meeting in Paris6
Always regardfully
your
Ferd. von Mueller
Mr Rusden is also on the antarctic Committee here
Some years ago I induced my friend the late Dr Curdie who stands sponsor to Curdiaea7 to send to Kew a trunc of Gymnoschoenus adustus.8 — The packing was not the mode, I advised; so the Stems came not alive. I have now arranged as a Departmental measure, that one of the most bulky stems be lifted about February on Curdie's River near Cape Otway.9 When leaves and flowerstalks are cut away, I will get it simply placed into a close box, and it would be sure, to travel quite safely in the hold of the ship. Soil on which Rhynchospora alba occurs with you ought to answer this plant. It will bear some frost. If sent from here in february, you will have it just at the first spring. The weight of large plants is very great
I have not heard of Mr Brian Hooker for some time; when you write, please say, that if I could do for him anything at any time, to let me know unhesitatingly. You will get hundreds of New Guinea plants when I come to settle down quietly to work on them after the Exhibition10
We do not yet understand the requirements of some Eucalypts from the North & West. Seeds would best be sown in various soil.
Naudin I think lost some of the rare Eucalypts raised from seeds I sent through want of lime in the soil
Curdiaea
Eucalyptus
Gymnoschoenus adustus
Rhynchospora alba
who stands … Curdiaea marginal note with intended position indicated by an asterisk.
A genus of marine algae described by Harvey (1855), p. 333 as Curdiea, but listed in Fragmenta phytographiae Australiae by Sonder (1880), p. 21 as Curdiaea.
Please cite as “FVM-88-10-30a,” 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 26 April 2024, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/vonmueller/letters/88-10-30a