Document information

Physical location:

89.05.01

Preferred Citation:

Ferdinand von Mueller to Arthur Lucas, 1889-05-01. 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/89-05-01>, accessed September 11, 2025

1
Letter not found. The text given here is from Lucas's address on 16 May 1889 as President of the Field Naturalists' Club of Victoria, 'The annual Conversazione', Victorian naturalist, vol. 6, p. 48 (B89.07.02). It is introduced by 'I have been favoured by a statement of botanical progress in the following letter from the Baron von Mueller:—' .
1st May, 1889.
In accordance with your wishes, dear Mr. Lucas, I beg to explain that an "Atlas of Australian Salsolaceæ" is under progress in my department, by the aid of Mr. G. Luehmann, the drawings and lithography by Mr. R. Graff. The object is, to enable pastoralists to ascertain with ease and exactitude the scientific names and characteristics of the rather more than one hundred species of Australian salsolaceæ mostly peculiar to this part of the world. It can be easily foreseen that methodic re-dissemination will have to be resorted to on the runs, to keep up the growth of the most nutritious of these salt-bushes for the herds and flocks, irrespective of the desirability to raise, as new for any suitable locality, such of these salsolaceæ as do not originally exist there. The volume will contain about a hundred plates, will be in conformity with those of the "Myoporinæ"
2
B86.08.05.
and "Acaciæ,"
3
B87.13.04, B88.13.01.
and will likely be finished by the end of this year.
4
The first two decades (B89.13.04) carry the publication date of 1889 but the final part, Decade 9, included in B91.13.24, was not issued until 1892.
I hope, also, to resume, as a bye work, the elaboration of the Papuan plants, and am further eager to finish early, also, the twelfth volume of the "Fragmenta."
5
The first fascicle of vol. 12 was issued in 1882 (B82.12.03) but most copies were lost in a fire at the Government Printing Office. The Government Printer declined to undertake printing more copies during 1889 (see M to R. Brain, 22 May 1889 (in this issue as 89-05-22b) and R. Brain to M, 22 May 1889 (in this issue as 89-05-22c)), and no further fascicles were ever published.
The supply of the "Census of Australian Plants" being exhausted, a new edition, comprising all supplements, also, since 1882, can, I trust, be early brought out, and in a slightly extended form.
6
B89.12.03.
That the "Key I."
7
B88.11.02.
and the seventh (enlarged) edition of the "Select Plants"
8
B88.12.01.
did appear since your last address you will be aware. —
Regardfully yours,
FERD. VON MUELLER.
9
In moving a vote of thanks (see p. 50) to the President and the lecturer,
The Baron referred, in the course of his remarks, to the meeting of the Australasian Association for the Advancement of Science, to be held in Melbourne in the summer, and hoped that the Field Club would be well represented by members and papers. He recalled, in an exceedingly interesting manner, his recollections of a meeting of the German Association in 1843 [Deutsche Naturforscher und Ärtze]. At that meeting were present, amongst others, Oersted, Schleiden, Rammelsberg, Berzelius, and he (the Baron) had never lost the effect of the stimulus which association with such men had afforded. He trusted that young members of the Australasian Association would look back with similar feelings to the meeting at Melbourne.
The meeting that M attended, the Deutsche Naturforscher und Ärtze, was at Kiel in September 1846; for attendance list see Amtlicher Bericht über die 24. Versammlung Deutscher Naturforscher und Aerzte in Kiel im September 1846 (Kiel, 1847), pp. 285-92.