["Ignoramus."—Baron von Mueller informs us that the little weed which you send has over and over again in different localities caused deaths among pasture animals. It is the Euphorbia Drummondi, a native of all the Australian colonies. As it is perennial, is seeding freely and easily arises from seeds, much difficulty is experienced to subdue this plant. The best plan would be to break up ground on which it abounds, and to sow thereon strong grasses and perennial fodder plants, whereby the euphorbia becomes suffocated, and at the same time the pasturage will be improved. Indeed, the euphorbia becomes mainly dangerous in the autumn, when the pasture plants get shrivelled and the new vegetation has not yet sprung. At all events, some boughs might be put at once over patches of the euphorbia where they are dense and extensive, so as to prevent herds and flocks in the hungry season resorting even to such weeds as the euphorbia.]
Euphorbia Drummondi
Letter not found. The text given here is from 'The Yeoman. Answers to correspondents', Australasian (Melbourne), 14 April 1894, p. 625. Assuming that the reply would be published in the next available issue in this weekly newspaper, it is dated to 6 April 1894 as the likely earliest date it would have been sent.
Please cite as “FVM-94-04-06,” 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