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64.12.03a

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Ferdinand von Mueller to John Moore, 1864-12-03 [64.12.03a]. 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//letters/1860-9/1864/64-12-03a-final.odt>, accessed June 4, 2026

1
Letter not found. The text given here is from 'The supply of resin and turpentine to Great Britain', Age (Melbourne), 14 December 1864, p. 5 (B64.12.08), where it is appended to the text of a despatch dated 26 August 1864 from the Secretary for the Colonies n London, seeking supplies of material formerly imported from the southern states of America.
M's letter was registered at No. 12353, vol. 1864 J, VPRS 1168/P inward correspondence registers, VA 475 Chief Secretary's Department, Public Record Office, Victoria, but the original has not been found. Register annotations show that on 18 November 1864 the Commissioner of Customs suggested that the Government Botanist be consulted in reference to the despatch, a circular that indicated a decrease in Britain's imports of resin and turpentine juice since the commencement of the American civil war. The circular was referred to M on 25 November for his report. M's response was on 6 December 1864 referred for information to the Commissioner of Customs, from where it was returned to the Chief Secretary's Office on 15 December. The next day it was returned to Customs 'that correspondence be kept entire'.
M's letter was reprinted in a number of newspapers, including the Brisbane courier, 14 January 1865, p. 4 (B65.01.01), where it was introduced by 'With reference to [the circular despatch from the Colonial Office seeking sources of turpentine and resin to replace those formerly imported into the UK from the Southern States of America], the eminent director of the Melbourne Botanic Gardens, Dr. Mueller, has addressed a note to the Principal Under Secretary of Victoria, and as its contents appear to be valuably suggestive to persons in this colony we transfer it to a prominent place in our columns'. M's letter is followed by: ‘Those who know the properties of the eucalypti or other resiniferous trees of Queensland, might find their account in experimenting upon their yield of one at least of the articles so much desiderated. There is undoubtedly a wide margin for profit if the produce could be made available for export; and, possibly, the beneficial nature of the operation might be enhanced by combining with the manufacture of resin that of potash. Mr. Walter Hill could, perhaps, throw some light on the subject.’
Melbourne Botanic Gardens, 3rd December 1864.
Sir,— In compliance with your request, I have the honor to inform you, for information of the Hon. the Commissioner of Trade and Customs, that within the district of Riverina and the colony of Victoria no pine trees exist allied to those from which the main supply of resin and wood tar imported into Britain is obtained, our only coniferous trees consisting of the Murray pine and an allied species of callitris, none of sufficient abundance for obtaining from them export supplies of pine tar. Nevertheless, I would beg to direct attention to the circumstance, that our eucalypti are yielding more or less of a peculiar kind of tar, in some instances as much as seven per cent of the weight of the dry wood, irrespective of the quantity retained in the wood vinegar; and, although this tar is not precisely identical with the ordinary wood tar of coniferous trees now generally in use, it may be anticipated that it could be advantageously substituted for many purposes for which now Stockholm tar is employed. Likewise, most other woods than those of fir-trees are producing, by dry distillation tar; but it appears that these are generally, in the northern countries, not available in sufficient abundance for the purpose. Though the per centage of eucalyptus tar may not always prove large, the process of obtaining it may, nevertheless, prove lucrative, when we consider how inexhaustible a supply of wood is available in our ranges, whilst in Europe, North Asia, and North America only the roots and branches of firs can generally be spared for the preparation of tar. Resin, similar to flr-resin, can, however, not be obtained from the eucalypti or any other Victorian trees. Of the British territories in which firs attainable for supplies of tar and resin are abundant as forest trees, Canada and the other parts of British North America, as well as the Indian highland are standing prominently. Finally, I may mention that very many thousands of plants of the Scotch fir, the tree which mainly furnishes in Europe and Northern Asia the tar and resin of commerce, have been distributed from the nurseries of the Botanic gardens of Melbourne; and it may be deserving of the consideration of the Government, whether not finally the forest culture of this and other important trees should be effected on the waste lands of the Crown.
I have, &c,
(Signed) Ferd. Mueller .
John Moore, Esq., Under Secretary.