26/9/95
As by your last extensive sending of beautifully dried and large rare plants through
the Smithsonian Institute, dear Mr Coville, you have placed me under much obligations,
I would ask, whether you have a conservatory there for cultures, and if so, whether
I could send you a colossal
, likely several hundred years old, as a return gift. These heavy plants, when the
approach 1000 lb in weight or weigh even more are extremely rare, so that as yet
only one large specimen is in the whole of the United States (with Prof Goodale through
me) — less than one dozen individuals of huge size having been seen by me in our primeval
forests since 1847. Indeed I may never be able to find yet one of ½ ton weight, but
I would likely succeed to find 2 of about 500 lb each, which if placed close together
in any glass-house of yours would give a good idea of what the heaviest ever obtained,
would be like. Then comes an other question, if you adopt this offer. As so rarely
American Ships go straight home from here to Boston or any other harbour near you,
would you have the means in your department to defray the freight from London across
the atlantic ocean? I have no means in my establishment for sendings of this kind,
and the heavy expenses for dragging out of some remote recess of the primeval forests
and out of the narrow irrigated ravines, where only
s and only rarely at all occur, would fall on my private slender resources and so
the freight from here to London.
In your charming lot of specimens of herbarium plants are many from Prof Rusby. I
presume, that you acquired these from him for your own distributions, so that I am
only to you
indebted Since several years neither my public nor my private means admitted of my
keeping a Collector in the field, so that I see no possibility of making an adequate
return in dried plants. Duplicates I never keep stored up, so I have always sent away
for interchanges those spare specimens, which I got at any time. Do you attach in
your Department value to resines, gums, kinos &c Of such I could send samples occasionally.
I am eager to remain in regular communication with you.
Regardfully your
Ferd von Mueller
If you have glasshouses, I could send many sorts of seeds.
I sent several small parcels of dried plants to you by this months mail
The
would be packed into a very strong box purposely made of Eucalyptus-wood.
