[Several members reported that a weed was spreading in various parts of the district and although not poisonous when eaten by horses it rendered them unfit for work and sometimes caused them to become very weak, which, however, soon passed off. The Chairman stated that he had forwarded a specimen of the weed to Baron F. von Mueller, K.C.M.G., of Melbourne, who identified it as Stachys arvensis, a non-poisonous plant.1]
Stachys arvensis
In a report of the meeting of the Port Elliot Bureau on 16 December 1893 (South Australian chronicle, 6 January 1894, p. 13), the following statement occurs:
Baron F. von Mueller wrote that although by no means wholesome Stachys arvensis was not poisonous, and suggested that some other weed was injuriously affecting the animals in the district. As Stachys arvensis has no large or permanent roots it could be destroyed by thoroughly breaking up the soil and sowing strong pasture grasses.
It is not clear whether M wrote a second letter or whether there was more extended discussion of the letter reported at the meeting of 7 October.
Letter not found. The text given here is from a report of the meeting of the Port Elliot (SA) Agricultural Bureau held on 7 October 1893, South Australian chronicle, 21 October 1893, p. 14. The letter is dated to October as the latest that it could have been sent to have been read on 7 October.
Please cite as “FVM-93-10-00e,” 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