WCP3851

[1]^1,2

Old Orchard,

Broadstone,

Wimborne.

July 14th. 1908

Lt. Col. Prain³

Dear Sir

I have <been> trying the last 3 years to grow the species of Telopea from seed, but find them very difficult to manage in the young state, during the winter. I have still 3 seedlings of T. oreades but they grow very slowly, — all the T. speciosissima I had, have died from damp, or from drought after planting out. (We have 3 very dry months here till the recent rains).

[2] I have now just received a large packet of seed of the Tasmanian. T. truncata⁴ & if you have not got it growing I should be glad to send you some. Also some good fresh seed of Blandfordia⁵ grandiflora — but this no doubt you have plenty of.

Should you have any young plants of Telopeas (especially of T. speciosissima) that you could spare, of a size suitable for planting⁶ [3] out of doors, I should be much obliged for one, as, once established, I think they would succeed here as do a good many Australian plants — Grevillia rosmarinifloria and Sollya heterophylla have stood last winter perfectly though several hardy Accacias were killed.

Yours very truly | Alfred R Wallace [signature]

P.S. I am now correcting proofs of vol. II. of Spruce's "Notes of a botanist"⁷ which I hope will be out in the Autumn. A. R. W.