WCP3940

[1]¹

Frith Hill, Godalming

Jan[uar]^y 6^th 1884

Dear Sir Joseph

I have to thank you for taking the trouble to write to me about the bulbs I was so bold as to ask for. I did not wish to trouble you but I imagined that as bulbs are so easily preserved, that you would be constantly receiving collections from your numerous correspondents in all parts of the world & have quantities of duplicates — but it seems I was mistaken.

I now write because to make [2] a suggestion, which however in all probability is quite unnecessary. I have been just reading in Captain Lieut[enant] Col[onel] W. F. Butler's² — "Far Out — Rovings Retold" — an account of Basuto Land³, the Switzerland of South Africa, — whose alpine scenery, snow-clad peaks, and fertile valleys he extols. He speaks of it as being almost a terra incognita. Is it known botanically? Seeing that a British Resident has just been appointed to this [3] territory, what a fine opportunity to send a collector, as there must be hosts of fine plants from that cool climate which would be handy with us, while the high mountain tops would doubtless furnish species most interesting for the problems of plant distribution. A botanical & horticultural collector should be able to pay his expenses in such a country especially if he was already in S. Africa.

With the Comp[liment]s of the Season | Believe me | Yours faithfully | Alfred R. Wallace [signature]

[4]⁴

Prof. Oliver

Can you tell me in a few words whether the botany of Basutoland is as unknown as Mr. Wallace appears to think

W.T.T.D

Sent — 8/84

Mr. Coopers— [one name illeg.] thinks not over 300 — 400 species: Coll[ectio]ns have been made all a[r]ound Basutoland. It is difficult to say if Dregé actually coll[ecte]^d there. The mountain region is probably rich in good things[?].