Ferdinand von Mueller

1

Letter not found. The text given here is from a report (Adelaide observer, 8 February 1868, p. 3) of a meeting of the committee of the (SA) Agricultural Society held on 7 February 1868 at which some papers on the cultivation of 'China grass' used in the production of cloth—the documents to which Schomburgk refers—were read.

The date when Schomburgk wrote to M is not clear, but it is likely to have been sometime in 1867, given the date of publication of B65.10.03 and the statement 'some time ago' in the newspaper report.

[Some time ago copies of these documents were forwarded to Dr. Schomburgk, who, before taking any steps towards giving publicity to them, addressed the Private Secretary,

2

To the Governor of SA.

requesting to be furnished with a copy of the paper alluded to in the despatch from the Director of the Kew Gardens to Sir F. Rogers.

3

Permanent Under Secretary of State, Colonial Office, London.

This, he imagined, contained particulars of the value of the material—of course a very essential accompaniment to the advice respecting its culture. The reply was that the despatch had not been received in the colony, whereupon Dr. Schomburgk wrote to Dr. Mueller, of Melbourne, who had made reference to the grass in his last annual report,

4

­'The Rheefibre or Grasscloth plant has thriven fairly'; M to J. McCulloch, 30 September 1865 (B65.10.01, p. 6).

wishing to know whether he could furnish the information. To this enquiry no answer has yet been received.]