President's Office,
Gt. Salt Lake City
June 18th, 1867
Bp. J.T. Willis, Tokerville,
Dear Brother:
Accompanying this you will find a small package of New Zealand flax seed, also some Blue and Red Gum tree seed. The brother who forwards me these seeds describes them as follows:
"Knowing the great interest the President takes in all those who call themselves by the sacred name of Christ in truth, I have this once been so bold as to address a few lines to you, having by my arrival in New Zealand found, that a native plant peculiar to this country, called by the name of New Zealand Flax and raised in great abundance all over these Islands has of late come to a very great reputation and proved itself to be of much worth. It grows to a height of nine or ten feet, produces a most excellent flax, of astonishing strength, in fibres, and according to its size or preparation, as useful for the finest linen as for the strongest ropes. After the leaves are out they will produce new leaves at a very rapid growth of about one inch a day, or about five feet in a season, and it is supposed to yield in great abundance of increase to the acre. A full grown plant will also contain one pound or more of fine gum clear as crystal, which also in time must become very useful for varnish, medicine &c. It seeds about every two years and seems to grow nearly in all kinds of earth; but low land, swampy land, black or light clay soil seems to me to yield the most luxuriant plants. It has in former times not been worked because of the gum; but having discovered a quite simple method how to separate it from the flax, it is now worked with the greatest convenience by machinery. And entertaining the greatest hope that it will also be able to flourish in Utah, and by so doing prove of great value to the Saints I deemed it wise to forward direct to the President this letter with a parcel of seed sufficient for the experiment, and also do enclose a small sample of the flax itself. Besides this I beg to enclose some seed of the Blue and Red Gum tree. It grows in five or six years to a very great height; is of beautiful foliage, and always green, holding its leaves both winter and Summer. It is a native of Australia; but if it will flourish in Utah it will prove delightful for shade and beauty in summer and winter because of its green leaves and upright pleasing form. But it requires to be sheltered a little the first years. If there is any of our districts where the winter is not so cold as in Salt Lake, it
might be well to try it there also"
Put a few seeds into milk, and keep it milk warm, then <when> they sprout plant them carefully in good loam in a box and watch them well. If they come up, you can put a few more in until they are all up sprouted and planted.
Be sure and save them
Your Brother
Brigham Young