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66.08.00f

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Ferdinand von Mueller to the Gardeners' Chronicle and Agricultural Gazette, 1866-08 [66.08.00f]. R.W. Home, Thomas A. Darragh, A.M. Lucas, Sara Maroske, D.M. Sinkora, J.H. Voigt and Monika Wells (eds), Correspondence of Ferdinand von Mueller, <https://vmcp.rbg.vic.gov.au/id/66-08-00f>, accessed September 11, 2025

1
Letter not found. The text given here is from Gardeners' chronicle and agricultural gazette, 3 November 1866, p. 1045 (B66.11.01, 66.11.02 and B66.11.03, published as a single item of 'Foreign Correspondence' but individually indexed by the journal). It is dated to August as the latest likely date that it could have been written to have been published on 3 November. This date is consistent with the content of the letter. A full report of the contributions to the International Horticultural and Botanical Congress, London, 23-4 May 1866, was printed in the Gardeners' chronicle and agricultural gazette of 26 May, continued on 2 June; the latter included lists of the papers presented, in some cases with abstracts, including M's on cinchona (B66.06.01). An extract from the issue of May 26 was printed in the Australasian, 28 July 1866, p. 538, so M would have seen around the beginning of August that his suggestions on a European flora were not presented. It is possible that M's reaction to the editor's comment on his note on the hardiness of Australian ferns (see n. 4) was sent earlier and held over, but it is more probable that the items were extracted from the same letter as separately indexed articles.
Flora of Europe.—There was one subject in particular to which I was very anxious to draw the attention of the Congress, namely, the publication of a Flora of Europe. Such a work is much wanted, and a Congress could do a great deal towards its production by the joint action of delegates from the different European countries. I wrote fully on the subject, but the letter could not have arrived in time.
2
Letter not found; a footnote at this point stated ‘It never reached its destination. Eds’.
The subject, however, should not be allowed to drop, but should be mooted at the meeting of the British Association, or other suitable occasion. At all events I trust it will receive attention in Paris next year.
Palms.—Wherever the Nekau Palm
3
Misreading of Nikau Palm?
of New Zealand is accessible to the mining population of New Zealand it is scarified for the sake of the edible central portion of the apex of the stem, and thus it must in many districts there share the fate of the Australian Cabbage Palm (
Corypha australis

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), which is annihilated now in many localities.
Hardiness of Australian Ferns.—You appear sceptical as regards the amount of endurance of cold and even frost possessed by Ferns (see p. 365).
4
See M to Gardeners' chronicle and agricultural gazette, February 1866 (in this edition as 66-02-00c), published on 21 April 1866 (B66.04.03). The article was followed by the comment, 'Dr Mueller's views as to the "hardiness" of many of the foregoing Ferns must be taken with considerable limitation'.
But remark how far south in New Zealand Fern trees grow; and in our Alps I have seen them in sheltered valleys at a height of 4500 feet. Wherever
Hymenophyllum tunbridgense

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occurs, there all the small kinds mentioned by me may be grown. After losing their fronds from the cold they will spring out again from the rhizomes; and even Tree Ferns will need in such localities but very slight protection for a few months. Ferd. Müller, Melbourne.