The correspondence of Ferdinand von Mueller: 21/3/88. ¶ ¶ How inexpressibly sad, dear Mr Crawford, the tragical fate of your poor brother. ¶ To see a young life pass away, when most of its hopes seemed yet before it, always is particularly mou...

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Physical location:

Archives, University of New England, Armidale, NSW. 88.03.21

Plant names

Agrostis
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Eryngium rostratum
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Eucalyptus maculata
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Eucalyptus obliqua
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Mentha saturejoides
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Preferred Citation:

Ferdinand von Mueller to Alexander Crawford, 1888-03-21. 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/1880-9/1888/88-03-21-final.odt>, accessed June 4, 2026

21/3/88.

How inexpressibly sad, dear Mr Crawford, the tragical fate of your poor brother.

Richard Crawford fractured his skull when thrown from his horse (Armidale express and New England general advertiser, 2 March 1888, p. 4).

To see a young life pass away, when most of its hopes seemed yet before it, always is particularly mournful. On more than one occasion in my many years travels I narrowly escaped a fate, similar to that of your poor brother I am quite touched with your persevering kindness towards me, even in your mournful sadness. What splendid observations in entirely new regions you would carry on in Central Australia!

Pray do not go out purposely for anything, about which I might have written, as it would not be right to tax your time and your resources.

41 RBrown

40 Eryngium!

Possibly a reduced form of E. rostratum (Cavanilles); but I never saw anything like it before. It wood

would?

need specimens in seeds, to determine the precise position of this plant in the bot system.

42 (l'Heritière)

A new and far northern locality for this stringybark-tree. I shall record under your name the usefulness of the resin of Euc. maculata for varnish. I find it will in that form, when applied and dried resist water.

B88.12.01, p. 154, , 'The kino of this species is quite resinous, so much so that articles varnished with it withstand the application of watery fluids (A. R. Crawford).'

The text ends, without valediction, at the bottom of the fourth and final page on the sheet. It is possible that the letter continued on another sheet, now lost.