Document information

Physical location:

F86/6828, unit 136, VPRS 3992/P inward registered correspondence, VA 475 Chief Secretary's Department, Public Record Office, Victoria. 85.06.24

Plant names

Preferred Citation:

Ferdinand von Mueller to Alfred Moloney , 1885-06-24. 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/1880-9/1885/85-06-24-final.odt>, accessed May 7, 2026

1
Letter registered as B84/1631.
Melbourne
24 June 1885.
To his Excellency Capt. Alfr. Moloney, C.M.G.,
Governor of Gambia &c.
Sir
I have the honor to acknowledge your Excellency's communication, dated 16. April,
2
See A. Moloney to M, 16 April 1885 (in this edition as 85-04-16a) , and M to G. Berry, 24 June 1885 (in this edition as 85-06-24a).
in accordance with which I have procured on behalf of the Victorian Government for transmission through my ministerial Chief, the hon Graham Berry, Chief Secretary of Victoria, a collection of fresh seeds of such Eucalypts, as deserve trial-culture in Gambia and could be procured just now, the sending being a gift of the Government of Victoria. As regards the saline nature of the ground-water in many parts of your colonial territory I would beg to remark, that all Eucalypts are […]y
3
Illegible. — MS smudged.
to brackish soil; but doubtless many localities in Gambia would still be available for the culture of these important trees.
To provide timber and fuel for places, where the humidity is saline, it will be best to choose species of Melaleuca, a few of which will grow in brackish water, for instance M. Leucadendron, M. ericifolia, M. linearifolia.
4
M. linariifolia?
Of these I will procure seeds purposely, and send them for transmission to the hon. the Chief Secretary here. The Melalecuas like the Eucalypts have great anti-malarian power, hence would also [be]
5
editorial addition — word omitted.
for sanitary purposes a valuable acquisition to your colony and other parts of Western Africa. Some other kinds of
Eucalyptus

Search for Eucalyptus in

-seed I hope to send later, when fresh procured. May I ask your Excellency, whether without much trouble a small quantity of fresh and well matured seeds of the Coapim-grass (
Panicum spectabile

Search for Panicum spectabile in

), which is so famous for its rapid growth and nutritive property, could be obtained from your colony for test culture in Victoria
I have the honor to be
your Excellencys obedient
Ferd. von Mueller.