Document information

Physical location:

91.11.00d

Plant names

Preferred Citation:

Ferdinand von Mueller to the Société Nationale d'Acclimatation de France, 1891-11 [91.11.00d]. 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//letters/1890-6/1891/91-11-00d-final.odt>, accessed May 15, 2026

1
Letter not found. The text given here is from Revue des sciences naturelles appliquées, vol. 39, part 1, 1892, p. 123 (B92.01.01). It is dated to November 1891as the latest likely date that it could have been sent to have been read at the meeting of the Société nationale d'acclimatation de France on 18 December 1891. It is introduced by 'M. le baron Von Mueller, de Melbourne (Australie), écrit…' [Baron von Mueller of Melbourne (Australia) writes…].
Maintenant que les briques de bois attirent l'attention en ce qui concerne le pavage des rues, j'ai l'honneur de vous envoyer, par ce courrier, des graines d'
Eucalyptus rostrata

Search for Eucalyptus rostrata in

et d'
Eucalyptus leucoxylon

Search for Eucalyptus leucoxylon in

; ces deux espèces fournissent des briques fort résistantes. À Londres, les briques d'
Eucalyptus marginata

Search for Eucalyptus marginata in

sont employées à cet usage. À Melbourne, nous pavons les rues avec des briques d'
Eucalyptus rostrata

Search for Eucalyptus rostrata in

, et l'opération a bien réussi, ces briques y ayant duré plusieurs années.
Ce mode de pavage est-il employé pour les rues de Paris et dans d'autres endroits de France avec extension? Si le Rostrata et le Leucoxylon poussent plus vite et mieux que le Marginata sur le littoral méditerranéen, ils seraient préférables pour être utilisés au pavage.
Je vous envoie également des graines variées d'Australie, destinées aux dernières stations du Sahara et qui pourraient être employées à faire des poutres de chemins de fer, ainsi que des graminées qui pourraient constituer des pâturages.
Now that wooden bricks attract attention in relation to the paving of streets, I have the honour of sending you, by this mail, seeds of
Eucalyptus rostrata

Search for Eucalyptus rostrata in

and
Eucalyptus leucoxylon

Search for Eucalyptus leucoxylon in

; these two species furnish very resistant bricks. In London, bricks of
Eucalyptus marginata

Search for Eucalyptus marginata in

are put to this use. In Melbourne, we pave the streets with bricks of
Eucalyptus rostrata

Search for Eucalyptus rostrata in

and the operation has succeeded well, these bricks having lasted there for several years.
Is this method of paving used extensively for the streets of Paris and in other places in France? If Rostrata and Leucoxylon grow more quickly and better than Marginata on the Mediterranean littoral, they would be preferable for use in paving.
I am also sending you various Australian seeds destined for the last stations in the Sahara, that could be used for making railway girders, as well as of grasses that could form pastures.
2
Naudin (1892) is a response, pointing out that the two species recommended by M are already common in Basse Provence, and that E. rostrata is preferred in Algeria for its wood, which is said to split less readily than that of E. globulus. However, he argued, for wood to be practicable as paving it would be necessary to plant extensive areas, and the quicker growing E. globulus should be preferred, at least until supplies of the other species could be produced.