[Another species of this grass, Panicum Spectabile, from South Africa, and noted for its succulence and fattening qualities, is cultivated by the Government botanist, Baron Fred.1 Von Mueller, who yesterday sent us a number of plants of it to have planted out in this district.2 These we have decided to send to the scent and experimental farm.]3
Panicum Spectabile
typesetter's error for Ferd.?
M distributed rooted grass or specimens via newspapers in Ballarat (M to Ballarat star, 16 March 1893 (in this edition as 93-03-16a)), additionally to Bairnsdale (M to Gippsland daily news, 18 March 1893 (in this edition as 93-03-18a)); Bendigo (M to Bendigo advertiser, 18 March 1893 (in this edition as 93-03-18b)); Port Fairy (M to Port Fairy gazette, 18 March 1893 (in this edition as 93-03-18c)); possibly to Portland where the Borough Council received a supply of seed (M to Portland guardian, 20 March 1893 (in this edition as 93-03-20b)), Kilmore (M to Kilmore free press, 20 March 1893 (in this edition as 93-03-20c), Colac (M to Colac herald, 20 March 1893 (in this edition as 93-03-20d)), Rutherglen (M to Rutherglen sun and Chiltern Valley advertiser, 20 March 1893 (in this edition as 93-03-20e)), Traralgon (M to Traralgon record, 20 March 1893 (in this edition as 93-03-20f)), Beechworth (M to Ovens and Murray advertiser, 20 March 1893 (in this edition as 93-03-20g)), Corowa (M to Corowa free press, 20 March 1893 (in this edition as 93-03-00h)), Avoca (M to Avoca mail, 25 March 1893 (in this edition as 93-03-25c)), and Wodonga (M to Wodonga and Towong sentinel, 25 March 1893 (in this edition as 93-03-25d)).
M had distributed seeds to a number of Victorian agricultural societies a dozen years earlier; see M to Victorian Agricultural Societies, 29 July 1881 (in this edition as 81-07-29d), and notes thereto.
The extract is followed by a quotation from B91.09.01 concerning its growth in Fiji from seed sent, it was there said, by M to a resident, Mr R. L Holmes. However, in 'HORTICULTURAL NOTES', Leader (Melbourne), 31 May 1884, p. 13, the newspaper claims the credit for sending the seed, before reporting its subsequent growth: 'Some two years ago we sent seed of [the Coapim of Angola], obtained from Baron Von Mueller to Mr. Holmes, a resident of one of the [Fiji] islands'.
Letter not found. The text given here is from 'Another new grass for the experimental farm', Bairnsdale advertiser and Tambo and Omeo chronicle, 18 March 1893, p [2]. The extract is from an article concerning Panicum italicum planted at the scent and experimental farm of the Bairnsdale School of Mines. The letter is dated on the assumption that the newspaper received it on 17 March, and that it was sent from Melbourne the day before.
Please cite as “FVM-93-03-16,” 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