WCP5534

[1]

c/o H. F. Rankin¹ Esq

Anglo-Chinese College²

Amoy [Xiamen]

China

4/10/12

Dear Colonel Prain

Thank you very much for your letter of Aug 3rd.

I have been travelling in Fokien [Fujian] province all August & September. I did not originally intend to be away from Formosa [Portuguese: Taiwan] longer than a month, but if I have done well as it happens, better than I should have done travelling in Formosa during the typhoons, which have been very bad.

I am now returning to Formosa, & shall make two more trips, one along the north part of the "Aiyu Sea"³ right across the island, & the other up Mt Morrison [Yushan]⁴. I shall not leave before December, & shall then go to Tokyo. I am afraid while here, I have broken out into Anthropology, but have I hope given botany equal attention. I have written a full account to Mr Elwes⁵, & hope you will excuse me if I refer you to [2] [1 word illeg.] my letter to him. I shall not forget these last two months in a hurry. There is a beautiful natural hybrid in the garden of Mr Wallace here between Lycoris aurea⁶ & scapigera⁷(?). The latter has scarlet flowers , & I found it wild up country. L. aurea is in the Flora of Kwantung⁸. The hybrid is of a lovely pink colour. I hope to get a bulb or two from Mr. Wallace for Kew, & have made a painting of it in case it is worth putting in the Bot[anical]. Mag[azine].⁹ I hope my second case of dried specimens have arrived all right. As regards the orchids I sent to Kew we cannot be sure of their being new species till Dr Hayata¹⁰ has been through all my specimens.

The Tree Fern Stems are from Mr Elwes. Please do not publish what I said about the Camphor in my last letter, as I hope to get more information, & at present I am not sure of all my facts. Please thank Mr Hill¹¹ for his letters.

I remain yours sincerely | W.R. Price [signature]