Ferdinand von Mueller

1

Letter not found. For the text given here, see ‘The late Baron von Mueller. Some interesting notes’, Adelaide observer, 24 October 1896, p. 43 (B96.10.06). The text is introduced by 'Miss Jessie L. Hussey, of Port Elliot, who has been in constant communication with the late Baron Sir Ferdinand von Mueller for more than three years, forwards the following interesting extracts, taken from recent letters she has received:—'. See also M to J. Hussey, 30 August 1895.

Melbourne, June 25, 1896.

2

Printer’s error for 1895? See notes 4 and 6 below.

I can assure you that I feel always elevated by the reflection that I can influence many in the younger generation for higher contemplations, and I am cheered when I think that they will bear me some friendly remembrance long after I have passed away, but let me not be exacting towards you, so that your collecting and studying becomes a burden instead of a sole pleasure. [...]

3

This and the following ellipses as in the printed text. The version in Kraehenbuehl (1981a), p. 394 omits the ellipses.

The "Analecta Algologica" is for you to keep.

4

Agardh (1892). M to J. Agardh, 13 March 1895, included a request for a copy for Hussey, which was sent; receipt was acknowledged in M to J. Agardh, 18 June 1865, in which M reported that he had already sent his copy to Hussey. Hussey had evidently asked about returning it.

I feel sure that I have it in the full volume of the Lund University. [...] Under no circumstances should you exert yourself specially to gather specimens for the Melbourne collection; only when you happen to get one of a kind not likely to be got here forward it to me. My pride is to demonstrate for all classes of Australian plants the geographical distribution; but if you incurred special toil for that it would disturb your happiness and might withdraw you from filial and domestic duties. I am afraid in your zeal you tax also your time too much for eliciting rural information such as you give now so well. Your note on the value of seaweeds for potato crops is significant. My idea is that algae should be collected fresh for manure, dried under roofs, without walls for free passage of air, be pressed when almost dry like wool into bales, when the weight would be so much reduced that railway freight or cartage would be of less consideration. Then also none of the valuable manuring ingredients would be lost by fermentation in the open air, and a new mercantile commodity be gained. For asparagus and many other kitchen vegetables algae is a good manure. We should not expect from manuring with algae or seagrasses destruction of the rust pullinia,

5

Typesetter's misreading of puccinia?

but it is very likely that brackish land so saline as just only to admit of cereal culture would prove in its products free of rust. Sea air would be quite powerless to subdue rust. I hope the new edition of the "Select Plants" will be out early in July.

6

Although M was planning a tenth edition, he said elsewhere that it was not expected to appear until 1897 (see M to G. Schweinfurth, 25 June 1896). The ninth edition (B95.08.04) was ready for issue in August 1895, suggesting that M’s letter was written in 1895 and published with an incorrect date. The repetition of the date as 1896 in the various press publications is almost certainly due to reprinting from one source to another; see entry B96.10.06, and linked entries.

It is a heavy additional piece of work [...].