Ferdinand von Mueller

Silverton N.S.W.

13 Sept 1889

My dear uncle

I am sending you a parcel of plants per this mail which I hope will reach you in good order.

1

For collecting by F. Wehl, see Dowe et al. (2020).

I am not sure if there is anything among them which I have not already sent you. There is very little variety of vegetation near the town where my occupation is and as I seldom go far into the country I have a very small field for collecting. I have requested several people living on stations to collect for me and send me any plants which may be new or remarkable, but so far without success. They do not seem to care to take any trouble. It may be that as travelling on the stations is chiefly on horseback they have no conveniences for carrying plants. The season here is said to be the best that any white man has yet seen. Certainly there is any quantity of herbage principally saltbush and geranium but no grass worth mentioning near here. About 30 miles northward and eastward there is grass in abundance. All the mineral bearing country seems destitute of grass, the hills all being covered with salt and other bushes and mulga scrub.

Most of the mines started here have turned out to be unprofitable and have been abandoned, but some of the mines at Broken Hill

2

NSW.

about 14 miles from here are certainly rich. The Broken Hill mine is probably the richest silver mine in the world & is now attracting considerable attention from European investors. I expect our extensive tin-fields will yet make a name for themselves, but for want of capital the work of development is being carried on in a very desultory manner, and it must therefore be a considerable time yet before any good results can be attained.

Hoping to hear from you soon, and that you are enjoying good health,