WCP3865

[1]

H952.

12¹

April 21st. 1912

Old Orchard,

Ans[wered] Broadstone,

24.IV.12² Wimborne.

L[ieutenan]t. Col[onel]. D. Prain³

Dear Sir

The information you have been so good as to send me about the flowering of Doryanthes ^Pulmeri [sic] after having been 25 years (nearly) at Kew, is rather discouraging for me. I shall therefore try the effect of keeping it without water this summer. As the interior of Queensland is subject to [2] frequent droughts it is quite possible that the plant can stand them without injury & be made to flower by them.

I hardly like to beg any more plants of you, but if you have any surplus stock of Alpine plants, of any kinds, I should be very glad of any species whatever, as I have some suitable rock beds still unstocked, & even the commoner [3] will be very acceptable.

Believe me | Yours very truly | Alfred R. Wallace [signature]

P.S. I have flowered this year from seed ^planted six years ago, — Beschorneria Wrightii⁴, (I think) as the flower panicle is fully 8 feet high. I enclose a few flowers showing the change from deep green to yellow & red as they get older.

A.R.W

Not B. Wrightii which has very hairy flowers, but probably B. bracteata Jacobi⁵(Bot[anical]. Mag[azine]. t. 66.41).⁶

Curtis 23-IV-12⁷

Write again in autumn⁸