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96.03.00g

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Ferdinand von Mueller to James Butler, 1896-03 [96.03.00g]. 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/1890-6/1896/96-03-00g-final.odt>, accessed June 13, 2026

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Letter not found. The text given here is from the report of correspondence received at the meeting of the Hamilton Borough Council held on 12 March 1896 (Hamilton spectator, 14 March 1896, p. 4) (B96.03.04). It is introduced by
From Baron Ferdinand von Mueller, South Yarra, in reply to a communication from the Council [see J. Butler to M, 5 March 1896 (in this edition as 96-03-05a)] stating that a main point in coping with such plants as the star thistle and Bathurst burr was to cut and burn them before they ripened seeds. The Dr. continued as follows:
This involved
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Involves?
incessant operations in your winterless region, where the growth of these plants remains uninterrupted through the year. Under ordinary circumstances the two plants alluded to are flowering individually only once. If young plants are cut above the root they will sprout and grow again. Under any circumstances it will be best to cut the root below the ground, as then the chance of its further growth it much lessened. The burning of the cut portions must be immediate and the conveyance into heaps careful, otherwise the seeds (fruit) will largely drop and a new up growth arise. Attendance to the annihilation methods must be persevered in, not only locally but generally in the district, and it must also be kept in mind that the soil there will contain seeds of thistle and allied plants at various places, and at some depth, which seeds may be latent for some time till by ploughing they are brought to the surface, and a new crop of thistle is started. Your honoured Council have doubtless the illustrated Treatise on Thistles and cognate plants
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B93.07.05.
which publication I elaborated some few years ago for the Department of Agriculture, where it can be obtained.
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The report concludes: 'Cr. Bennett said there seemed to be a wont of simplicity about the letter. (Laughter). The Baron appeared to have thought he was addressing a lot of children. A proposal to refer it to the Gardens Committee was lost.'
J. Butler to M, 22 March 1896 thanks M for his response.