Ferdinand von Mueller

1

MS annotation by M: 'Answ 23/6/88'. Letter not found. MS is filed with a bundle of letters to M about the publication of M. C. Cooke's Handbook of Australian fungi (1892). The letters are inside a folded sheet annotated by M: 'Drawings of Fungs by G. Massee 1889.' See also G. Massee to M, 22 April 1889 and G. Massee to M, 12 August 1889.

Royal Herbarium,

Kew

7 — 5 — 88

To Baron Ferd. von Mueller, K.C.M.G., F.R.S, &c —

I have taken the liberty of forwarding for your acceptance, by same post as this, reprints of some of my botanical papers, & also a dozen rough sketches of Australian Fungi,

2

M arranged Massee's drawings, together with others by 'Mrs. E. Forrest' (presumably Margaret E. Forrest), M's niece Marie Wehl, and Charles H. French, as an album exhibited at the Melbourne International Exhibition, 1888-9—which opened on 1 August 1888—and subsequently at the Paris Exposition in 1889. The album is now at the Natural History Museum, London.

mostly communicated by yourself. I am personally unknown to you, but you may perhaps have noticed my name associated with that of Dr Cooke, as joint author of new fungi for the past two years. I am working along with him at the herbarium here.

I consider Victoria as very rich in the lower cryptogams, Fungi, & fresh water algae. I have spent a considerable time in the West Indies & S. America studying the cryptogamic flora, but I never saw so many interesting things as are sent from Australia, & often regret that they arrive in the dry state, when so little can be done with them, comparatively. I think it is a great pity that you have not a state cryptogamist to look after the cryptogamic flora, plant diseases incident to such &, & to thoroughly describe & for ever stereotype the numerous good things, from recent specimens, & so avoid the complicated synonymy which is sure to be the outcome of describing from dried specimens, which is more especially true of Fungi & Algae, & also to make drawings of everything , so that there may be no misunderstanding afterwards If you do not send the algae to any one already, I shall be very pleased to name them, & make sketches &.