Ferdinand von Mueller

See M to Gardeners' chronicle, March 1881 (in this edition as 81-03-00e) (B81.04.01).

It would seem that Layton sent a telegram to MacDonald, who in response sent Layton the following notes that were passed on to M and printed below his letter to the Gardeners' chronicle:

In reply to your telegram, I beg to enclose a rough sketch of one of the Macrozamias measured for your information, the height of the same being 15 feet, and about 2 feet in diameter. There were others that measured 20 feet in stem; length of fronds, 7 feet; circumference, about 6 feet 4 inches. The cones or fruit measure from 2 to 3 feet in length. In this locality, or within a radius of ten miles, they are numerous, and principally grow on high stony ridges. Beyond the distance above named from Springsure? I know of none growing. They are of very slow growth. I should say the one from which the sketch is taken is over one hundred years old. I have been resident here for seven years, and know of several young trees near my residence, in which I have observed but little difference in size during that period; they appear, however, to be very hardy— in fact difficult to kill. I have observed many trees in this neighbourhood which have been attacked by bush fires, and their leaves are completely destroyed, but the stem again throws out fronds, and which appear to grow as vigorously as the former. There are also several trees from 15 to 20 feet high, which have almost fallen to the ground, the fronds of which turn up, and continue in growth. The nuts, when young, are said to be used by the opossums and other animals of that kind; but they are, when matured, said to be poisonous to human beings; although the blacks make use of them by soaking them in water for two months, after which they break the outer shell; secondly they grate the nut on a rough stone, and form it into a kind of pulp, which they mix and bake, making it into a bread. I understand the nuts are but little used now by the natives; but in 1860, when I first visited this district as an explorer, the nuts were frequently found in the native's camps; at which time, and for some years subsequently, I believe they were regularly used when in season. J. E. McDonald.

MacDonald's sketch was not published with the article. Although the name is printed as 'J. E. McDonald', the writer was almost certainly John Graham MacDonald, the Resident Magistrate and Gold Commissioner at Springsure, Qld, at this time; he took up that position in 1874, consistent with the length of residence stated in these notes. M later nominated him as a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society; see M to the Royal Geographical Society, London, 13 February 1882 (in this edition as 82-02-13b).