WCP4360

[1]

Hamilton House, The Croft

Hastings.

Feb^y. 14th. 1889

My dear Mr. Poulton¹

Will you oblige me by looking over enclosed proof of part of my 14th. Chap. & note any mistakes or misstatements that may occur to you, & return as soon as possible. If not troubling you too much I will send you the next sheet also.

Thanks for name of the Mantid. Do you happen to have, or can you easily refer to, Grant Allen’s² small books of collected papers under such titles as "Vignettes from Nature", "The Evolutionist at Large", "Colin Clouts’ Calender" [sic] [2] and another I can’t remember.

In one of them is a paper on "The Origin of Wheat", — in which he puts forth the theory that the grasses &c. are degraded forms which were once insect-fertilised, — summing up his views in the phrase "Wheat is a degraded lily" or something like that. Now Henslow³ in his "Floral Structures"⁴ adopts the same theory for all the wind-fertilised or self-fertilised flowers, & he tells me that he is alone in the view. I believe the view is a true one, — & I want to give G. Allen the credit if first [3] starting it & want to see how far he went. If you have, or can get this book of his with that paper can you lend it me for a few days. I know not who to write to for it, as botanists of course ignore it, & G. Allen himself is I believe in Algeria.

Yours very sincerely| Alfred R. Wallace [signature]