Ferdinand von Mueller

4/12/80

1

MS annotation by Hooker: 'Ansrd JDH | Jny 1/81'. Letter not found, but see M to W. Thiselton-Dyer, 28 May 1881.

The last mail, dear Sir Joseph, brought me a letter from Mr Chantre, in which he tells me, that he had made over the large collection of wood articles, which on the solicitation of a mutual friend I had procured with some trouble and very considerable expense .

2

MS annotation: 'Scarcely any of the things were available for [i.e., of value to] Kew. The majority were duplicates and the collection was not worth the money.' See M to C. Chantre, 9 June 1880.

Not feeling sure, that these things would be exactly what he wanted, I requested him in such a case to cede the whole to you . So that is done. He speaks of "a great deal of trouble and expense", the latter refunded by you. Of course the trouble could only have been to cause the clearance to be effected through any Agent, and the expense only the freight & Agency, not likely many £. The purchasing, packing &c of the articles involved however here much cost; not to speak of time expended, and I hope you will regard the donation now entirely one of mine to Kew (through Mr Chantre). I may send him some resins &c bye & bye; but no one can go out of ones door to get anything, without expense, and as a £ is here quicker disbursed than a 5/ piece in London, it must stand over for the present, as the Exhibition involves everyone here this year in large extra-expense.

It is quite an horticultural achievement, that the

Livistona

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travelled in a close case as dead good

3

Dead goods? [i.e., not requiring the attention living material would need on the voyage?]

from one side of the world to an other.

4

See M to J. Hooker, 20 July 1880 and J. Hooker to M, 6 October 1880.

This should start a trade in Central American & West African Palms with Europe.

5

For Regel's view on the prospects of such a trade, see notes to M to E. von Regel, July 1880 (in this edition as 80-07-00).