Ferdinand von Mueller

29./10./82.

Let me express my best thanks, dear Mr Watson, for your goodness of sending me your important additions to the N. Amer. Flora, as recently published by the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

1

Watson published a long series of articles over many years under the general title, 'Contributions to American botany'. From 1879, these appeared in the Proceedings of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences; two papers in the series were published in this journal in August 1882.

It is pleasing to see gradually thus the whole vegetation of your grand country descriptively elucidated.

The enclosed print of a recent lecture of mine may interest you, as I alluded also to the N. American plants.

2

See B82.13.07, pp. 28-9.

As you are so much in communication with Mexico, could you kindly help me in finding soon out, which Oaks furnish the best timber and tan, which Pines the best building wood and resin and any other information regarding vegetable technology of Mexico? I want very much these data for a new edition of my volume on "select plants for industrial culture".

3

The next Australian edition was B85.12.03; a German translation (B83.13.06) based on the 1881 NSW edition B81.01.04, was prepared by Edmund Goeze.

Could not also a N. Amer. edition be brought out? It ought to sell extensively, and I would revise it for N. Amer., and give the right of publication gratuitously.

4

A North American edition was published as B84.13.22.

In a few weeks I hope to send to your University

5

i.e. Harvard University.

and also to the Academy the first volume, containing all the Vasculares, of my Census of Australian plant-species.

6

B83.03.04.

Could not something similarly be done for the Flora of the United States? A proof-sheet herewith.

Tell me kindly, what works of mine the University and the Academy possesses, so that I may complete the series for the respective Libraries there, as far as that can yet be done.