WCP5094

[1]

Old Orchard,

Broadstone,

Wimborne

England.

June 17th. 1909

Dr. S. Koorders

Dear Sir

On the recommendation of Lt. Col. Prain, Director of the Roy[al]. Bot[onical]. Gardens, Kew, I take the liberty of asking if you can give me some information as to the numbers of flowering plants in the Nederl[and]^. Malay East Indies.

He has sent me the estimate of Miguel, in 1859, as being 9118 Phanerograms then known. But during the 60 years that have passed since then you have [2] doubtless added immensely to that estimate. I shall be much obliged for your present estimate of known species, wither from the whole Nederl[and]. E[ast]. Indie’s[sic], or from the separate Islands, in order to compare with Sir Joseph Hooker’s recent Estimates of the "Flora of British India."

I should also wish to have the estimate for Java separately, as that island must be now very completely explored botanically.

I should also be very much [3] obliged for any estimate of the numbers of species in any small but especially rich and well explored area.

Such is, I believe, the mountain of Pangerango, which the Government, has, I understand, formed into a "botanical reserve" on which the forests are never to be destroyed for cultivation.

This limited flora would be especially interesting in comparison with Sir Joseph Hooker’s recent estimate of the Flora of Sikkim which he thinks may be the richest for the area, in the [4] world.

Should you be able to give me the number of species for this mountain’s flora, will you kindly add the area, in square miles, or kilometres, it is estimated to include.

I had myself the great pleasure of ascending Pangerango in 1861, as described in my book on the "Malay Archipelago".

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