Sunday
13/11/81.
Only to a small extent do I redeem my promise, dear Prof Tate, to furnish a contribution
to your volume of the R.S.;
but I was quite out in my calculations of time,
and only worked up the new
to day.
I have also just written the description of an elegant Helipterum from the Rev. [Mr].
Kempe's collection, but have yet to compare it very carefully with H. stipitatum and
a few other species. If I find it new, I will forward the msc. in a day or two also.
I have a few other plants from the Rev Gentleman's collection, which
may
prove new, but require critical research among the allied species; that — as you
know — is often a tedious process, and I could not do
justice
to it in time, if really I have to send you all msc by the 18th of this month.
But, is there anything in the rules of your R.S. to prevent me sending the other
descriptions after the
to any of your members, who may act for you as Hon Secr. during your absense?
Or could I send the msc. direct to your printer? The latter could send
me
the proofslips for correction, as they could be back to Adelaide always within a
week. I have made the same arrangement with Prof Liversidge, who also will be away
from Sydney, while during the vacation a long census of Australian plant-genera is
passing through the press for the R.S. of N.SW.
If you could make a similar concession on behalf of your Society, I should have the
whole of December to look in spare hours over Mr Kempe's and also some of Mr Tepper's
plants, and add something more thereby to the S. A. Flora. It is a long time to wait
til next year; the tender thread of life is so readily turn
asunder! particularly when mine is likely to be soon spun out!
Regardfully
your
Ferd von Mueller
I would send the additional msc under such arrangements from week to week.
What a lot of interesting plants you will bring from Kangaroo-Island! and surely novelties
among them.
Some we might publish under united authority
Why do the S. Australians not make K. Isl. their main Seaside place for recreation
in the summer-heat?
Send me a telegram, if I can go on sending msc. in your absense.
