Ferdinand von Mueller

1

Letter not found. The text given here is from the Eighth Progress Report of Victoria's Royal Commission on Vegetable Products (March 1890), p. 107, from the Minutes of Evidence recording testimony given by Clarson concerning the value of the Carob, Ceratonia siliqua, during his appearance before the Commission on 22 October 1889. Clarson’s use of the term ‘last year’ suggests that he wrote to M in 1888.

[ Last year I discovered on one of the trees at Longerenong,

2

Agricultural College, Dooen, Vic.

a s ing u lar departure from the normal type , one of the branches of a staminate tree bearing pistillate, s taminate, and her m aphrodite or perfect flowers. I brought the circumstance under the noti c e of Baron von Mueller, who was much interested in this " sport " from the accepted character of the tree. ]

3

In his testimony, Clarson added: ‘I had photographs taken of the three characters of bloom—the pistillate, the staminate, and the hermaphrodite or polygamous. These I have the honour to hand for the inspection of the Commission on Vegetable Products, but desire to have them returned when they have served their purpose .’