Document information

Physical location:

Auckland Public Library, Grey papers, GL M50(11). 66.12.25a

Plant names

Preferred Citation:

Ferdinand von Mueller to George Grey, 1866-12-25 [66.12.25a]. 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/1860-9/1866/66-12-25a-final.odt>, accessed June 9, 2026

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MS annotation at top of letter: 'Gazetted 17/1/67'.
The following notes on a separate sheet [GL M50(11) att.] are attached to this letter: 'Col. Secs Office, Wellington, 14th [Jany] 1867. | The following letter from Dr Muller, Director of the Melbourne Botanical Gardens is published for general information. | J. Richardson | for the Colonial Secretary | Mr Gisborne requested me to forward this to His Excellency | [A M ] Smith | 21/1/67'. A lightly edited version of the letter was published in the New Zealand gazette, no. 5, 1867 (19 January 1867), p. 46 (B67.01.02), with the first of the above sentences and the Colonial Secretary's Office address as an introduction. It was summarized in many NZ newspapers, including Wellington independent, 22 January 1867, p. 3.
Melbourne bot Garden
25/12/66
Sir George
Aware of your Excellencys vivid interest in all that concerns the development of prosperity & industry in your fair isles, I anticipate you will be pleased to see the enclosed small sample
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The published version of the letter has an asterisk at this point referring to a footnote: 'The sample referred to is deposited in the Colonial Museum, at Wellington.'
of paper prepared in my phyto-chemical Laboratory from the fibre of
Phormium tenax

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— Neither glue
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The published version has 'fire' rather than 'glue'.
nor bleaching substances have been applied to it, and in as much as I have no proper apparatus for pressure nor have the means of working with larger quantities of material, the paper thus produced is far inferior in quality to that really obtainable from this source.
In fact good writing paper may be produced from Phormium & this will probably be the purpose for which the plant will be turned really to commercial account.
In the intercolonial Exhibition
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Intercolonial Exhibition of Australasia, Melbourne, 1866-7.
I have now about 30 different kinds of paper from [bark]s, foliage, grasses, sedges &c & all these are in vast abundance available. The paper made of the bark of the Stringybark-Eucalypt seems to be the most important.
Let me remain, dear Sir George,
your very regardful
Ferd. Mueller
The percentage of tar &c I obtained from 10 kinds of our common trees is also quite encouraging for new industries. I am now engaged in causing the tannic acid to be determined in a lot of barks; & the 30 essential oils I exhibited in 1862 have let
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led? The printed version has 'lead'.
to a large export trade, the hypogaeous
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subterranean.
Kauri resin dissolving in Eucalyptus oil with facility & it being useful for very many other purposes & on a large scale most cheaply obtainable.
I am just concluding the 5. vol of my fragmenta,
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B66.13.01.
& in England at Christmas the 3 vol of the flora Austr.
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Bentham (1863-78), vol. 3.
will have appeared.
His Excellency Sir Geo. Grey, K.C.B., D.C.L., F.R.S.
Governor of New Zealand