WCP3878

[1]

Parkstone, Dorset.

Sept.[embe]^r 6th. 1896

Dear Mr. Ridley¹

The box of orchids arrived about 2 weeks ago, but I am sure you will be as sorry as I was, to learn that they were mostly dead or greatly injured. This seems to have arisen partly from the fact that there is no defined resting season at Singapore and the long voyage seems to have been too much for them without light — at all events the 3 Dendrobiums², the Bulbophyllum³, and the Cymbediura aloifolium⁴, were quite dead & almost rotten. The others though very dry & partially dead may have a few living pseudobulbs, [2] but the Cypripediums though alive were so much knocked about that only a few will recover. This was owing to the plants on blocks all getting loose so that all were ^tumbled together in a mass when they arrived. There was nothing on the box itself to show that they were plants, or required to be treated carefully, so I suppose they were pitched into the hold like ordinary freight.

Of the large mass of Cirrhopetalum medusa⁵ all was quite dead except half a dozen small pseudobulbs, some of which I hope will grow. Please allow me to suggest that it is no good, and a source of danger, [3] to send orchids tied to boards or blocks, unless the plants are firmly attached to them by living roots. Of those send the only one attached to the board by roots was the smallest Cirrhopetalum gamosepalum⁶ — all the others were merely tied ^{or nailed} on, & the wood was only extra weight & danger. As time ^{duration of journey} is so important I am quite sure the best way to send orchids from Singapore will be to send a few at a time by post, either in a cigar box, cardboard box, or even in a ^{paper or canvass}[sic] parcel, tied up with dried moss or clean shavings. All the dead roots & dead pseudo-bulbs should be cut away, or small [one word illeg.] plants only sent, & especial care must be taken that they are not growing making new growths.

I beg to enclose you a Post-Office order [4] for ^s11/ -⁷ which I am informed at the back here is the full equivalent of the $5-⁸ you paid for freight. I hope you will not think I am grumbling at the loss of the orchids, but I thought it better you should know exactly how they arrived, and I have no doubt I shall save enough out of them to be worth the cost of freight & other charges. I shall be most happy to reimburse you for the cost of postage of any others you may send, and I am sure it will be less trouble to you to send them that way, as well as more economical & more likely to succeed.

It is very interesting about the orang⁹ in Selangor¹⁰. I always understood it was in the Pennisula[sic], but never could hear about it definitely. I hope you may succeed as it may be a new species.

Yours very truly | Alfred R. Wallace [signature]