Melbourne, 22nd April, 1889.
Sir,
In reply to your communication of the 18th April,
I have the honour to inform you that the so-called Flat weed,
, seems not to produce any ill-effect in Britain, where it is not uncommon; but in
colder countries than ours such a weed would not take so extensive a possession of
the ground as in many places here, because the pastures get rest during the winter
months. Thus a miscellaneous vegetation will, in spring, push forth, and the Hypochoeris could not suffocate by continuous growth numerous kinds of plants; while in our largely
overstocked pastures, and particularly commons, the Hypochoeris is apt to overpower lots of weaker plants. Where this weed abounds, it would be best
to plough the ground, and to sow it with strong grasses and with the best of fodder
herbs, which would largely repress the Hypochoeris. The medieval physicians used this herb for medicinal purposes. The active principle,
which here has seemingly proved so injurious when so extensively operating on pasture
animals, has never yet — so far as I am aware — been chemically isolated. The real
Dandelion (
) is a very different and altogether harmless plant. It would be important that a
thorough trial be made whether the Hypochoeris really causes the particular horse diseases attributed to this weed. Two horses might
be stabled, free of the disease, both of equal age and constitution, one to be fed
for some days largely on the Hypochoeris, the other on ordinary stable feed. This would demonstrate fairly well how far the
Hypochoeris can possibly be connected with the disease under discussion. I found no fungus growth
on the Hypochoeris plants submitted in this and some other instances to me.
I have the honour to be, &c., &c.,
FERD. VON MUELLER
D. Martin, Esq., Secretary for Agriculture.
