To William Thiselton-Dyer   1 November 1888

1/11/89.1

 

I managed, dear Mr Dyer, to get a parcel of remarkably nice Algs away to you by this mail. The gatherer, Mr W. Bracebridge Wilson, was induced by myself to extend his own bryozoic collecting with the trawl to Algs, and then since a few years his gathering went through me to Agardh. As he discovered several absolutely new forms, some even generic, I send the largest duplicates-collection to you, — because thus the Kew Herbarium will gain novelties; — besides most of the specimens represent new localities of uncommon species.

I hope, to get bound or stitched copies of Key I and of the 7th Edit of the select plants2 away by this mail; but they will not be ready in time though the printing is completed weeks ago.3

Your excellent Assistant, Mr Morris, wrote me, while you were absent, about Eucalypts; his remarks will guide me.4 Naudin lost several species young, because the seeds were sown in soil not suited in each case. It will be always well, to try the sowing in different soils, calcareous earth being conducive to the growth of some most particularly. Geologic data in reference to the distribution of Eucalypts are gradually accumulating.

Regardfully

your

Ferd. von Mueller.

 

Mr Morris writes also about members, obtained for the R.H.S.;5 some more will be gradually proposed; but I am always scrupulous in the selection.

Mr Ridley will be a splendid acquisition for Indian Phytography,6 horticulture and forestry; where he will be able to study more fully the relation of the Flora of the Malaian7 peninsula to that of the Sunda-Islands

 

Eucalyptus

 
1
Date stamped: Royal Gardens Kew 10. Dec. 88. Annotated in red ink: Ackt. sent 12/12/88 (letter not found). The date stamp, the annotation, and the mention of the imminent publication of B88.11.02 and B88.12.01 and of Ridley's appointment to Singapore all indicate that M misdated the letter, and that it was writen in 1888.
2
B88.11.02, B88.12.01
3
though … ago marginal note on left margin of f. 294, front, with intended position indicated by an F.
4
Letter not found.
5
Royal Horticultural Society, London.
6
Henry Ridley was appointed as Director of the Botanic Gardens in Singapore in 1888.
7
Malayan?

Please cite as “FVM-88-11-01,” 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 25 April 2024, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/vonmueller/letters/88-11-01