Ferdinand von Mueller

1

Letter not found. The text given here is from 'Horticultural notes', Leader, 9 March 1895, p. 13 (B95.03.01). It is introduced by

We ar e in receipt of a sample of the "Paper Bark " of th e Melaleuca squarrosa, one of the "Tea trees" of our southern sw amps. The sample c am e from th e C ol ac distri c t. B a ron von Mueller s ays of It:—.

I t is a new commercial arti c l e for the packing of fresh fruits destined for transmission to great distance s . It i s a superior arti c l e for that purpose, as proved first in N e w South Wales, as it is pliable, remarkably soft, smooth and fine, antis e pti c , light, and soaks up any moistur e from bursting fruits. It ought also to be a c heap arti c l e , as the ' tea trees,' from whi c h it ca n be obtained, abound in many of our swamps.

2

The Leader (25 August 1895, p. 10) later reported that the bark of Melaleuca leucadendron was being used to pack fruits in Queensland, and quoted M's account of its other properties from B91.09.01, pp. 273-4; the equivalent entry in B95.08.04, p. 303, included its use in fruit packing.