Document information

Physical location:

W70/2947, unit 463, VPRS 3991/P inward registered correspondence, VA 475 Chief Secretary's Department, Public Record Office,Victoria. 70.03.22

Preferred Citation:

Ferdinand von Mueller to James McCulloch, 1870-03-22. 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/1870-9/1870/70-03-22-final.odt>, accessed May 15, 2026

1
Letter not found; item Is a cover note.
22 March 1870
[Government Botanist, Forwards answers to M. Drouyn de Lhuys' questions respecting the Eucalypts of this Colony
2
On 21 December 1869, Edouard Drouyn de Lhuys wrote to the Governor of Victoria, Henry Manners-Sutton:
Monsieur le Gouverneur,
L ’Eucalyptus ayant été heureusement introduit en Algérie & dans le Midi de la France, il y a lieu d’en suivre l’acclimatation avec un soin tout particulier.
La Société Impériale d’Acclimatation vous serait donc extrêmement reconnaissante, Monsieur le Gouverneur, de vouloir bien lui faire préparer et parvenir une réponse aux diverses questions suivantes, ce qui sera pour nous d’un grand intérêt pour continuer les expériences commencées:
- Quelles sont les meilleurs espèces d’ Eucalyptus au point de vue de la production du bois?
- Dans quels milieux devra-t-on les cultiver?
- Indiquer celles de localités arides, & celles de milieux humides. – Quelles sont les produits importants qu’on en peut tirer?
- Le Blue Gum ( E. Globulus ) est-il le plus vigoureux?
- Existe-t-il des espèces pouvant croître dnas les sables? – Pour les marais?
- Parmi les Eucalyptes à tiges noueuses à la base, y en a-t-il qui acquièrent un grand diamètre? Ces sortes d’excroissances ou loupes deviennent-elles grosses?
- Quels sont des usages industriels des bois des Eucalyptes?
- Quelles sont les espèces d’Eucalyptes qui peuvent résister aux vents de mer?
Veuillez agréer, Monsieur le Gouverneur, avec les remercîments anticipés de notre Société pour ce que vous voudrez bien faire dans cette circonstance, l’assurance de ma haute considération.
Le Président de la Société
Drouyn de Lhuys
[Governor,
The Eucalyptus having been successfully introduced into Algeria and the south of France, it is time to pursue the acclimatization with quite special care.
The Imperial Acclimatisation Society would thus be extremely grateful to you, Governor, if you would have prepared and sent to it a response to the following various questions that would be of great interest to us in continuing the experiments that have been begun:
What are the best species of Eucalyptus from the point of view of timber production?
In what environments should they be cultivated?
Indicate those from dry localities, and those from humid environments. – What are the important products that can be obtained from them?
Is the Blue Gum ( E. Globulus ) the most vigorous?
Are there species that can grow in sand? Or in marshes?
Among the Eucalypts with knotty trunks, are there some that acquire a big diameter? Do these sorts of excrescences or knobs become large?
What are the industrial uses of the wood of the Eucalypts?
What species of Eucalypts can resist sea winds?
Please accept, Governor, with our Society’s thanks in anticipation for what you are willing to do in this matter, my deepest respects.
Drouyn de Lhuys
President of the Society]
On 16 March 1870, on the Governor’s instructions his private secretary, H. C. Manners-Sutton, referred the letter to the Chief Secretary: ‘The Governor does not doubt that Dr. Von Mueller will be able to give full & definite replies to all the questions set forth in this letter and he would be glad to be placed in a position to transmit to M. Drouyn de Lhuys complete information on all the points referred to by him’.
For what are probably extracts from M’s response, see M to the Société Impériale Zoologique d’Acclimatation, 22 March 1870 (in this edition as 70-03-22a).
— & recommends that certain books be forwarded with the answers — viz 1 — The Vol. of the Ex. of 1861
3
Victorian Exhibition, 1861 (1861), which included M’s essay, 'The vegetation of the colony, especially in reference to its resources' (B61.13.06).
— 2. The Entire vol. of Ex 1866-7
4
Intercolonial Exhibition of Australasia (1867) included several essays by M (B67.13.02, B67.13.03, B67.13.04, B67.13.07, B67.13.08, B67.13.09, B67.13.10).
— & 3. His annual Rept. for 1869.
5
B69.07.03.
]
6
On 31 May 1870 the Under Secretary, W. Odgers, asked M if he could supply copies of the books or state where they could be obtained. M replied on 1 April: 'In my opinion the volumes referred to may be got either from his Honor Sir Redm. Barry or from the Governm Printing Office.' The books were duly forwarded by the Governor, J. H. T. Manners-Sutton, to Drouyn de Lhuys through the Secretary of State for the Colonies. The items were forwarded to the Société Impériale Zoologique d'Acclimatation through the British Ambassador in Paris, and their receipt was reported in the following terms at the meeting of its Council held on 29 July 1870 (Bulletin de la Société impériale zoologique d'acclimatation, series 2, vol. 7, p. 615):
S. Exe. lord Lyons, ambassadeur de la Grande-Bretagne à Paris, transmet une lettre de M. le gouverneur de Victoria, un mémoire de M. le docteur von Mueller, et divers documents relatifs aux Eucalyptus et ta leurs produits. [His Excellency Lord Lyons, Ambassador of Great Britain to Paris, transmitted a letter from the Governor of Victoria, a memoir from Dr von Mueller, and various documents relating to Eucalyptus and their products].
M’s annual report for 1869 (B69.07.03) had been received earlier by the Society and extensively summarised in Delondre (1870).
See also J. Rothwell to M, 27 September 1870.