Ferdinand von Mueller

1

Date stamped: Royal Gardens Kew 30.JUL. 95; annotated in black ink by W. Watson: 348/1895 (i.e. register number in Kew Inwards Book of specimens received), and in red ink by W. Hemsley: Ansd. 3.8.95 (letter not found).

25/6/95.

The byefollowing seeds (fruits) of Verticordia grandis, dear Dr Dyer, have just freshly arrived from the Murchison-River.

2

WA.

I would advise that the capsules be cautiously opened and the one or more perfect seeds be taken out and sown unencumbered by the floral envelopes and be sown in sandy-moory soil and also sandy-clayey and experimentally also in other mixtures of soil. Naturally this V. and V. oculata grow on sand plains, but their area is very limited and nowhere are they gregarious. If the seeds are liberated for sowing, the seedlings will have the best chance at their earliest state to fix themselves to the soil.

I hope soon to get the fruits also of the indescribably beautiful V. oculata.

3

M had for some time being trying to introduce this species into horticulture, hoping to do so from seeds (M to Gardeners ' chronicle, 26 November 1877 (B78.02.01), and by having passengers to England carry young plants raised from cuttings (M to W. Thiselyton-Dyer, 7 March 1893 (in ths edition as 93-03-07a)). This latest attempt also failed. Dowe (2023a) discusses M's efforts in a wider context, with images of the shrub.

If you have them once, doubtless these two magnificent V. could be multiplied from cuttings (of not too old wood) with bottom-warmth under a bell-glass

Encourage me kindly in letting me know whether you had any success in this promising culture.