Ree, March 27 



Melbourne, Austr. 



Feb. 19t 1882 



Only a few words, esteemed friend, aecompany the sending of my census of the 

 plant genera of Australia. Also, I am approaching the age in which one no longer 

 corresponds without purpose, and should not rob you of your valuable time with 

 unimportant epistles. The purpose of today's letter is this. For a new edition of 

 ray "Select plant s" I need short notes about the trees of Mexico, which in various 

 regions furnish building; lumber and tonning bark , I mean the best and real common 

 material, which the workmen process. I called on your mighty help when one of the 

 first editions appeared, and you referred me to Prof. Barroeta in San Luis de Potosi; 

 however, after the exchange of many letters, this exchanere did not bring in even a 

 Single word of Information, even though this man was very courteous in writing. 



Now what is to be done? May I call on your help and on Prof. Sarpent's, as 

 the distinguished dendrologists? You are so interested in conifers, oaks, ashes, 

 nut trees etc. that the matter certainly is still important to you and him. Some 

 German workmen in the principal cities would most certainly, if you asked for them, 

 send you some oak leaves with acorns etc., also connifer branches with cones etc., 

 of such trees, which for 300 years, day after day, are being used for boards, build- 

 ing lumber, tanning etc. and yet we know absolutely nothing about the tree varieties, 

 insofar as technical resemblances are concerned. 



Hoping that you will forgive my boldness in asking you, especially because I 

 give recognition to all such help in my publications, I remain, 



Your, 



F. von Mueller 



Can I send anything to you or to your academy? 



Everything from the mountainous regions of southern Mexico and even from the 

 lowlands of North-Mexico, could be grown in colonies such as Victoria here. At any 

 rate these desired notes would be a gap-filling contribution to the technology of 

 the plants. 



rti.o^uki BOTANi £N 



George Engelmann papers 



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Missouri 

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