WCP2896

[1]¹

THE CAMP.

SUNNINGDALE.

Jany 12 1908.

My dear Wallace

Ever since the receipt of yours of 4^th2 I have been endeavouring to recall any experience I may have had of Spruce's³ collections. All I can remember is the arrival of one consignment to Bentham⁴ at Kew, & marvelling at the extraordinarily fine condition of the specimens, their completeness for description, & the great fullness & value of the information regarding them inscribed on the tickets.⁵ The fact is that the whole care for & distribution of the specimens was undertaken by Bentham, assisted I think by Professor Oliver,⁶ who may be able to [2] give you more definite information.

Of his published articles those on the "Cinchona forests"⁷ & "On certain Andean Mosses"⁸ are very full of good matter.⁹ As to his work on Amazonia Palms, it is full of suggestions, some of which have been taken up by later authors but the Amazonian region is so poor in Palms compared with others, that it would require a very long & patient study of the American plants; the [illeg.] to where its merits in detail.

Were not Spruce's earlier collections sent to Bentham when a resident at [illeg.] or before that in London.

Congratulating you heartily on [3] the conclusion of your labour & regretting that I can be of so little use[.]

Believe me | sincerely yrs | Jos. D Hooker.¹⁰ [signature]

No doubt his monumental work in the Hepatiae¹¹ is his [illeg.] one & will ever live.¹²