WCP3905

[1]

Broadstone, Wimbourne

Nov[embe]^r 16th. 1906

Sir Joseph Hooker F.R.S. &c…

My Dear Sir Joseph,

Macmillan has now decided to publish Spruces "Notes of a Botanist in S. America"— but they do not think it will have a large sale. It will however involve a great deal of work on accounts of the fragmentary materials. These are as follows:-

1. The 1 ½ years work on the Lower Amazon, Mss. ready for Press (nearly)

2. The 4 years work on the Rio Niegro, Uanpes and Orinoco— his rough closely written "journal" only— [2] This must be supplemented by the letters to Sir W Hooker & Mr Bentham, at Kew

3. The whole of the six or seven years work in the Andes (Tarapolo, Banos, Ambato, Cindiona Forests, Quito, &c., &c.) no journals whatever! They were mysteriously lost! But the letter to Kew are numerous, and these with a few published papers, are all that can be had.

You will appreciate the large amount of labour involved in piecing together these various materials, which I estimate [3] will occupy me the greatest part of the year of continuous work— the return for which is likely to be way inadequate as the Executor must have a share.

I therefore cannot afford to pay myself for typing the letters at Kew (about 85 in all) that I must utilise; and I therefore write to ask whether you (and Sir C. Markham could make a joint application for a small grant from the Royal Society— from the Government Publication Grant— to cover that expense. The 4 years R Negro [4] and Orinoco ^Journals must also be copied or typed.

The cost of the whole will not exceed £20, a grant for which amount should be asked for.

In this way all that is of botanical or of general scientific interest in Spruces work, can (however imperfectly) be made accessible to the public.

I apologise for troubling you but I know the subject interest you

Yours very truly | Alfred R Wallace [signature]