Ferdinand von Mueller

28/2/69

I hope, it will not be necessary, dear Mr Barlee, to await the arrival of your new Governor, before the new short expedition can be send out, as then the cool season would be lost! Do what you can, to get it under any circumstances into the field in April. It is really a point of honor to W.A. & will reflect credit on all concerned.

1

John Forrest's expedition to follow up reports of a party of white men having died or been killed, east of Lake Monger, WA.

The Government of Queensland, in response to my solicitations is also just now sending out a small party to ascend Mount Bellenden Ker, the highest mount in tropical Australia.

2

There is no evidence of such an expedition being in the field in 1869; see M to W. Odgers, 6 May 1871, at which time the proposal was still under discussion. In January 1887 M's collector William Sayer, accompanied by Alexander Davidson, ascended to the summit of Mt Bellenden Ker; see Sayer (1887). The Qld Government finally sent out a scientific expedition in 1889, led by A. Meston; see Meston (1889). Meston cast doubt on Sayer's claim to have reached the summit, but modern scholarship supports the claim; see Lavarack (2015).

I felt much pleasure in sending you a copy of my report on the rust disease, as issued a few years ago.

3

B65.09.01.

Since the time some important researches by de Bary are published,

4

A. de Bary (1866)?

showing that 4 stages of development of this fungus were formerly erroneously regarded as distinct genera, but that all represent phases of development only of one species. First uredo-spores are formed, then Puccinia-spores, these push forth Sporidia from which Aecidia are developed not on cereals but other plants, but from the Aecidia-spores spring again the uredo-spores to recommence the cycles of development. This remarkable fact has great significance in as much, as it shows how guardful we must be not to allow weeds to be harbored about cornfields, also how we have to avoid to bring ill decayed manures on ploughed land. The burning of stapples

5

stubbles?

is also always of great importance. On any special points, concerning this disease, I will gladly give information when called on.

Doubtless you have much pleasure enjoyed during the visit of H.R.H.,

6

Queen Victoria’s son Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh.

who now stays among us.

Would it not be well, if some of your gold-bearing quartz was analyzed here?

I have managed to get away by this months mail steamer an other case with Eel to K.G.S.

7

King George Sound, WA. The text that follows is from an apparently unconnected note by M that is filed with the present letter and was probably sent with it. F. Barlee to M, 31 March 1869, informing M that a party would be sent out to follow up the report from Monger, also includes responses to both M's latest information on rust in wheat and the note about the

Zamia

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s.

One of the

Zamia

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s of large size from K G. S. placed by me at once after removal into a green moss has made new leaves. So it is proved that they can be moved at great age.