Document information

Physical location:

ML MSS.562, Letters to E. P. Ramsay 1862-91, Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales, Sydney. 78.05.22

Plant names

Preferred Citation:

Ferdinand von Mueller to Edward Ramsay, 1878-05-22. 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/1870-9/1878/78-05-22-final.odt>, accessed June 4, 2026

22/5/78
I have just only finished a long report on Austral trees for the home Government,
1
Presumably M’s response to the request by the Agricultural Society of Algiers for information on cultivation and utility of Eucalyptus and Acacia. The request was transmitted to the Australian colonies by the Colonial Office in London at the request of the Foreign Office (see M to G. Berry, 15 March 1878, and notes thereto).
The British Consul General, Robert Playfair, sent the request to the Foreign Office in November 1877; this was returned, to be summarized and translated into English. A printed version was sent to the Australian colonies. Playfair’s own developing interest in Eucalyptus plantations, and that of the Agricultural Society of Algiers, can be followed in his consular correspondence in the National Archives, London, FO 27/2255 Foreign Office and predecessor: Political and Other Departments: General Correspondence before 1906, France, 1781-1905: Consuls at Algiers, Bordeaux … 1877. The file also contains a printed copy of Playfair’s ‘Report on the culture of Eucalyptus in Algeria’. His consular correspondence for 1878, in FO 27/2327, includes despatches and telegrams concerning the intended establishment of Eucalyptus in Cyprus. The catalogue of the National Archives lists FO 881/3393, Foreign Office: Confidential Print (Numerical Series) France & General: Questions proposed by Society of Agriculture of Algiers relative to Australian trees, but the catalogue states that the file was 'missing at transfer'.
dear Mr Ramsay, and have now 3 other large reports to elaborate for W. Austr,
2
M had already completed his report on the forest resources of WA, subsequently published as B79.13.10; see M to G. Berry, 12 May 1878 (in this edition as 78-05-12a). The additional reports to which he refers have not been identified.
and one for our Government;
3
B78.14.01?
so really I have no time to dissect plants at this juncture, for exact examination. Moreover your white-variegated
Morinda

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has no flowers
N. 5 of NZ looks like the early growth of
Linum monogynum

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, but there is not even a commencement of flowers.
4. Restiaceous without fl & fr
{a,
Leptocarpus simplex

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Rich
{b.
Calostrophus lateriflorus

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F v Mueller
3.
Lepidosperma australe

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J. Hooker.
2.
Schoenus Tendo

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, Banks.
1. Lepidosperma.
Regardfully your
Ferd. von Mueller.
I think it wise under the particular circumstances in sharing in no responsibility of sending a collector with the Gold-prospectors to N.Z.
4
New Guinea? See note 5.
I hope you will be able to carry out your plan, in pushing the Museum collector there. He ought to be quite safe at the new Mission station in the most eastern part of N.G.
5
Z deleted.
and as the high mountains are near there also, he ought to have a glorious field for observations open for him, at ease, little expense & comparative safety.
But perhaps Mr Moore's collector has been there already. Can you tell me anything about him? When is he expected back?
Mr Goldie had £50 cash from me and sent as yet absolutely nothing. From the extreme poorness of his former collections I expect nothing of real value from him. Why did he not send at least the Mangroves, Coast palms & Bamboos?