WCP5217

[1]

Parkstone Dorset

Feb 3^rd 1900

Dear Miss Ridley

I have been very busy or would have returned your papers sooner. I will certainly mention your fathers’ name as one of the original inventors of the Reaping Machine, but there were too many machines invented in England in the 20 years before your fathers some of which are said to have been very effective— that without special research and the Patent Office in Washington, it [2] can’t be impossible to say whether the modern American Machines are the results of improvements of your fathers’ machines or on some of the English Machines.

Believe me | yours very truly | Alfred Wallace [signature]