31/8/93
It needs not my assurance, dear Mr Williamson, that I will be happy at any time to name plants for you.
If you want to make a tour about Christmas, and you have no special engagements in Melbourne, I would beg to point out, that some few weeks stay for collecting in the vicinity of Bordertown,1 would very much enrich your herbarium because the vegetation there is very peculiar in many respects and that tract of country has never been exhaustively searched for plants. This moist season has brought out an exuberance of plants, and altho' towards the end of the year and later, the majority of the species will be out of flower, you could still obtain fruit-specimens. Among minute plants yet novelties might occur. Have you any friend in Port Fairy,2 who in exchange for prints seeds &c would dry for me Algs (Seaweeds) in some quantity, if even only crisply on shelves. Lots are washed there up in great variety often after storms. As regards Books, you should purchase (in London) the 7 volumes of the Flora Australiensis,3 published by Mr Bentham & myself. You might get a copy perhaps here second hand. I have no money-interest in the work.
Regardfully your
Ferd. von Mueller.
Please give Mr Allen4 my best compliments. Your […] is not yet fully [...]5
Please cite as “FVM-93-08-31,” 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