WCP3808

[1]

Holly House, Barking, E.

Sept^r. 5th. 1871

Dear D^r. Hooker¹

I was sorry we missed seeing you at Kew today. I have been so much occupied with my building & gardening operations that I have for a long time been nowhere but to Grays, where I have fixed myself ^{but shall not leave here till Spring}. I have 3 or 4 acres of very rough & uneven ground with great variety of surface. — an old chalk & gravel pit now overgrown with timber & brushwood. — [2] and I want to try and grow in it as many hardy plants as possible ^{I can procure}. Would it be possible for me to be allowed to collect a few seeds of hardy plants from the beds in the Botanical arrangement part of Kew Gardens?

Also, should you at any time have any surplus hardy shrubs of little value which you might otherwise throw away, I should be very glad of them.

I have been greatly interested [3] with the notices that have appeared of your explorations in the Atlas.² The absence of Alpine ferns is most curious, as it would seem to show that the Mediterranean barrier existed during the glacial epoch; and yet if that were the case it seems wonderful that such a number of non-alpine plants should have escaped destruction, in Europe.

Hoping you may be able to assist me in the matter of the seeds &c.

I remain | yours very faithfully | Alfred R. Wallace [signature]

D^r. J. D. Hooker