Document information
Physical location:
RBG Kew, Kew correspondence, Australia, Mueller, 1882-90, ff. 61-2. 83.03.25bPreferred Citation:
Ferdinand von Mueller to William Thiselton-Dyer, 1883-03-25 [83.03.25b]. 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/83-03-25b>, accessed September 11, 2025
Easter
1883.
Though I am not a member of the Phylloxera-Commission, dear Mr Dyer, I have once officially
and once privately travelled over the vineries, devastated by that insect-pest. The
evidence is so conclusive and the identification so complete, that I never troubled,
to preserve specimens; but to remove scepticism of the entomologic Society, I will
bring some of the "corpus delicti" when next I travel beyond Geelong, as I shall likely
find yet the ova and unwinged insect on remnants of roots. Kindly let your friends
remember, that we have in Australia now-a-days also splendid microscopes, and that
we also here fairly know, how to use them.
1
An Entomological Society report was sceptical about the presence of
Phylloxera
in Victoria: see M to W. Thiselton-Dyer, 21 December 1882 and notes thereto.
I got some new Macrozamia Material from N.S.W. lately, or rather additional Material,
which I will examine for improvement of diagnosis; but though the specimens are from
various distant localities no actual novelty seems to be among them.
Should your Ottelia ovalifolia have suddenly perished,
I will try to get more seeds; but we have the plant not near Melbourne. Aquatics often
go suddenly off in culture, because — as my long horticultural experience has taught
me, — they did not get a
sufficiency of nutritive soil
, to sustain the rapid growth.
2
See M to J. Hooker, 29 June 1882 (in this edition as 82-06-29b) and notes thereto.
I continue posted up on the American Vines Experiments through Planchons "La Vigne
Americaine",
and gave more particularly the best varieties already in the German Translation of
the "Select plants".
Of course, no sane person would think of introducing living specimens of any Vitis
from N. America. I raised the two "Scuppernongs" & others
from seeds
many years ago.
3
See Planchon (1875), pp. 112-16.
4
B83.13.06, pp. 419-25; for Planchon citations, see discussion under
Vitus riparia
and
V. vinifera
. See also entries on these species in subsequent editions for additional notes.
5
See M to T. Wilson, 16 June 1881.
Your service of calling forth the Cinchona-plantations in Jamaica alone would have
given you claims to the C.M.G., not to speak of your multifarious efforts otherwise,
to aid in the development of the rural wealth of the Colonial Empire of Britain.
I look forward with great eagerness to the vol. of Monocotyledoneae of the Genera,
which will be a crowning piece of a grand structure in science.
6
Bentham & Hooker (1862-83).
My "Census"
was under private printing Contract, so as to be done in 1882. Hence I could not delay
the issue, til the genera were completed. May I beg of you, to read the preface carefully,
and to remember, that I recommended to the illustrious authors of the "genera", to
incorporate the Monochlamydeae with the other group[s],
before the work was commenced
20 years ago!
Hence in adhering to my views, emphatically expressed, before I knew of the plan of
the genera, I am free to steer my own course without the slightest wish to interfere
with the "genera" by any innovation of recent date from here.
7
B8
3.03.04.
8
The preface to B8
3
.
0
3.
04
contains an argument for the distribution of genera and the sequence of orders of
plants that differs from that used in Bentham & Hooker (1862-83). For M’s early comments
on the unsatisfactory nature of Monochlamydeae as a group, see M to G. Bentham, 24 January 1862. See also Maroske (2006).
Kindly remember me to Mr Bentham, and Sir Joseph, and let me remain
regardfully your
Ferd. von Mueller.
Cinchona
Macrozamia
Monochlamydeae
Monocotyledoneae
Ottelia ovalifolia
Vitis