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91.01.00d

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Ferdinand von Mueller to Percy Brett, 1891-01 [91.01.00d]. 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/91-01-00d>, accessed September 11, 2025

1
Letter not found. The extract given here is from a letter to the editor of the Argus, 2 February 1891, p. 11 (B91.02.03), by Percy R. Brett. The letter concerns the potential use of plantations of larkspur to prevent the spread of plague locusts, and is a response to correspondence received after an earlier letter advocating the planting of larkspur in areas where plague locusts have laid eggs: In his letter published on 18 December 1890, p. 11, Brett reported that a bed of larkspurs was devoured by grasshoppers, which 'after a few mouthfuls … became stupefied, dropped down and died'. Brett carted away the dead bodies and estimated that an acre of larkspur would be able to kill '1,802,558,652' grasshoppers, weighing in total '251 tons 9 cwt. 1 qr. 21lb' [i.e. 251 tons and 1057 lb]. He recommended that the locust breeding places 'during winter be ploughed up, fenced in, and planted with larkspur; when the young come forth they will feed upon the plant and quickly die. … The Government should step in and compel all landholders to plant a quantity of larkspur in proportion to the size of their holdings.
In his letter of 2 February, Brett wrote
My correspondents have all admitted the deadly effect of larkspur upon the grass- hopper, and the discussion has been narrowed down to these two points: - 1. Is larkspur poisonous to stock? 2. Is it likely to spread over the country and become a troublesome weed if sown in the extensive way I propose? If the first question can be answered satisfactorily, that is if it can be shown that stock will eat larkspur, and suffer no injurious result thereby, the second question needs no consideration. Before dealing with either, I will quote a letter from the Government botanist to show the opinion of that gentleman on the matter:—.
If I could be fully convinced that the larkspur would not escape into pastures, or into cultivation, I would then recommend that lines of fencing be erected parallel to existing fences, and in places where they would be likely to intercept the locusts. The fences might be made one or two miles in length, having a 12ft. space between them, 6ft. in the centre of which could be ploughed and sown down with larkspur. This would leave 3ft. on either side of the plants, which distance would keep sheep or cattle from eating them, and would with care suffice for keeping the plants within bounds. Areas might also be sown within the railway enclosures, the same care being exercised that the plants do not escape to pastures or cultivation. The castor oil plants might also be treated in the same way, but very great care must be exercised to protect the seeds from escaping into pastures or into cultivated areas, for this plant has already proved to be a pest in some places in the coastal districts.