WCP3728

[1]

Old Orchard,

Broadstone,

Wimborne.

August 29th 1909

J. S. Gamble Esq[uire].

Dear Sir

Pray excuse my not earlier thanking you for your very interesting & acceptable letter of July 21st. with figures as to Malayan floras. I was then suffering from a serve inflamation of eye requiring "Specialists" treatment, and till a week back have been unable to read or write.

I suppose Signapore has been largely cleared of forest since I [2] was there in 1854 & [18]56 — & its flora rendered poorer.

A large portion of Malacca also was second growth fast even when I was there.

The number for the Malay Peninsula, as a whole, seems to give a better idea of its botanical riches than either of the smaller portions.

Several of our smaller Counties with about 1/170 area, contain half as many species as G[rea]t. Britain.

Malacca with about 1/60 area of Mlay Pen[insula]. has very much less than half. Yet I think the whole Peninsula must be much the less known. [3] But this only shows the difficulty of any comparision when the materials are not of equal value.

Thanking you for the trouble you have taken.

Yours very truly | Alfred R. Wallace [signature]