WCP3720

[1]

Parkstone, Dorset.

Feb^y 8th. 1894

My dear Mitten¹

I send you a few seeds which I think may interest you to try. Chaenesthes fuchsioides is a fine shrub ^{violet flowers} allied to Cestrum, & easy to grow if raised. Escallonia organensis is not from Brazil, but I believe from the Organ Mountains of New Mexico, & said to be fine. Medicago arborea is I think the orange col^d. sp. we saw at Weymouth & wh. I have never seen since. Saundersonia, from Natal I failed to raise last year & am trying again; I send you the remainder. I also send a little [2] of Dianthus callizonus, which I think you said you wanted.

I hear we are to have a visit from Rose² who I am sorry to hear is still poorly & hope the change may do her good. To-day was a lovely sunny day & our snowdrops on the bank look brilliant & crocuses, scillas, & chionodoxas &c. are all coming out fast. I have a Dandrobium nobile in flower, a very good form and a huge Haemanthus natalensis ^opening with a flower stem 2 ft. long and about 2 in. thick. I have just been having my greenhouse stove repaired. It had been set badly & the top feeder had burnt out.

[3] The early Saxifrages too are coming on, & S. burseriana major is very fine. The terrestrial orchids from Australia & Cape are most difficult. Some were growing well a month ago, but I kept them a little too damp & they rotted off. Others are doing well so far, & I suppose I shall learn the happy medium in time. The want of sun in the winter to keep them growing healthily is the difficulty. I hope you are quite well & are enjoying the promise of Spring. I suppose you saw my obituary notice³ of Spruce⁴ in last week's "Nature". [4] Mr. Slater⁵ is going to send me his Journals &c. to see if we can arrange for their publication.

With best wishes | Believe me | yours very sincerely | Alfred R. Wallace [signature]

W. Mitten Esq.