[Mr. G. Pentland, Acting Chief Inspector of Stock, asserts that the pasturage is of an unwholesome character… Specimens of the plants, which the animals had eaten were forwarded to the Government botanist, Baron von Mueller, who is unable to give a definite opinion as to their character, as they were not flowering.]
Letter not found. The text given here is from Age (Melbourne), 1 August 1893, p. 5, col. a. It is probable that the correspondent was Pentland, but the report also names other investigators involved.
The article concerns 'the mysterious death of a number of cows at Pascoe Vale a few weeks ago [that] has not yet been explained'. It drew attention to 'a similar occurrence in the same suburb … reported last year, when the experts asserted that the cattle died from eating the South African poison plant, Homeria' (See M to D. Martin, 17 September 1892 and notes thereto). The reference to 'a few weeks ago' implies early to mid July, and the letter is dated accordingly.
Please cite as “FVM-93-07-00g,” 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