The correspondence of Ferdinand von Mueller: [ ¶ Mr. ¶ G. ¶ Pentland, Acting Chief Inspector of St ¶ ock ¶ , ¶ asserts that ¶ the past ¶ urage ¶ is of an unwholesome character ¶ … Specimens o ¶ f the plants, which the animals had eaten were forw...

Document information

Physical location:

93.07.00g

Preferred Citation:

Ferdinand von Mueller to George Pentland, 1893-07 [93.07.00g]. 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/1890-6/1893/93-07-00g-final.odt>, accessed June 13, 2026

Letter not found. The text given here is from Age (Melbourne), 1 August 1893, p. 5, col. a. It is probable that the correspondent was Pentland, but the report names other investigators involved.

The article concerns 'the m ysterious death of a number of cows at Pasco e Vale a few weeks ago [ tha t] has not yet been explained ' . It drew attention to ' a similar occurrence in the same suburb … reported last year , w hen the experts a sserted that the cattle died from eating the South African poison plant, Homeria ' (See M to D. Martin, 17 September 1892 and notes thereto) . The reference to 'a few weeks ago' implies early to mid July, and the letter is dated accordingly.

[ Mr. G. Pentland, Acting Chief Inspector of St ock , asserts that the past urage is of an unwholesome character … Specimens o f the plants, which the animals had eaten were forwarded to the G overnment botanist, Baron von Mueller, who is unable to give a definite opinion as to their character, as they were not flowering. ]