WCP757

Broads<tone,>

July 12<th. 1906>¹

My dear Fred²

I am very glad [MS burned] by your last two letters (or three) [MS burned] June 29th.) — that you are enjoy<ing> [MS burned] on the N. H. <New Hampshire> mountains, and that you [MS burned] beetles abundant — at last! In such [MS burned] locality you may get something rare <or> new! I wish you luck! Since le<aving> Trinidad, however, you have not s<aid> [MS burned] word about the source of all your [MS burned] your poor leg! Is it now quite he<aled> [MS burned] as strong as before? Your sister [MS burned] me that neither did you say [MS burned] to them! I can hardly think [MS burned] be quite well during ^after the voyage [MS burned] first week on the mountain.

I will tell you now the fate of the [MS burned] sent me from Trinidad. The [MS burned] I put in a pan with a little [MS burned] for the [MS burned] soft <MS burned^, [2] The orchid did fairly well, and [MS burned], but the flower was a small one, of no beauty, and not worth another [MS burned] in my crowded little greenhouse. [MS burned] Tillandsia has lived and grown somewhat [MS burned] I fear will not flower. It evidently [MS burned] more ^moisture, heat & ventilation combined [MS burned] I can give it, — & we have had an [MS burned]st continuous dry atmosphere since [MS burned]ary! The Cypripediums have not <flowe>red yet, so I suppose they have [MS burned] delayed for a week. The only [MS burned] thing I will ask you to get, if <poss>ible is a few seeds of Magnolia [MS burned]ca. This I believe grows only in the [MS burned] districts & flowers about July, so [MS burned] you leave you may be able to [MS burned] ripe seeds, or Mr. Thayer³ may [MS burned] friend living where it grows [MS burned] me, William [MS burned] book [3] ‘Concise English Gardener’ — and sa[MS burned] to supplant the ^common laurel in England [MS burned] it grows ^very slowly nursery [illeg.] here [MS burned] [illeg.]^s. or ^s.7/- for a very small plant!

Although North American insects a[MS burned] suppose, of little value in England, <it> is quite possible that Monsr René Oberthür⁴ [MS burned] may be a purchaser of a good many rarer kinds, as may Mr. Schill⁵ of [MS burned] favourite groups. Even at Tring they want good specimens of the moths; [MS burned] these exceptions I do not imagine will find many purchasers. However, [MS burned] will soon learn ^{from your own correspondence} whether it is worth[MS burned] to collect at all largely. I suppose [MS burned] have hardly had time yet to think [MS burned] future proceedings, but when you [MS burned] discussed the matter with Mr. <Thayer> [MS burned] be glad to hear what your [MS burned] hope you will [MS burned] the jou[MS burned] [4] district so easily reached that [MS burned] be so productive in butterflies, [MS burned] land shells, than the lower slopes of [MS burned] to which that place is the gateway [MS burned] <co>mmercial centre. As you will have [MS burned] by this time that you cannot with [MS burned]ty work ‘like a nigger’, besides sleeping [MS burned] forest, I do not see why you, with [MS burned] strong constitution & simple habits, shall [MS burned] able to thoroughly enjoy life in [MS burned] country as well as Bates,⁶ Spruce,⁷ and [MS burned] as well as ^besides scores of other [MS burned]ctors. I dare say, as with me, after [MS burned]turn from the Amazon, you will soon, [MS burned] Northern Autumn arrives and insects [MS burned] scarce, be longing for the glorious ^perennial [MS burned] the Upper Amazon with their glorious [MS burned]ures of which you have as yet but [MS burned]. By the bye, you have not [MS burned] his family [MS burned] T. — ? [5] (5) £.50 — £.60. to go straight to [MS burned] and Iquitos? It seems to me [MS burned] you would be wise to do so (if [MS burned] or you may waste your life at Tri<nidad> which I doubt if B. Guiana would [MS burned] much better as the prices are there [MS burned] cut down by native & amateur colle<ctors> [MS burned] while travelling & living are also [MS burned]

If I know that you will accept s[MS burned] an offer I will write to M. Rene O<berthür> and ask whether he or his brother [MS burned] to advance such an amount to be repaid by the first ^second set of species, [MS burned] and varieties of Butterflies at 2/- [MS burned] & ^{1st. set} of beetles at 1/- each till repaid [MS burned] even moderate success you wou<ld> [MS burned] repay this in 6 months besides [MS burned] from Tring for Lepidoptera [MS burned] buyers for ^{various groups} I will be your [MS burned] strictly to th[MS burned] only [6] [MS burned] or disease, which they will [MS burned] mind the risk of if they care [MS burned] much for their collections as they seem [MS burned] do, and are wealthy men. Have [MS burned] not a nice set of beetles from <T>rinidad that you could send to M. Oberthür as a sample, and then take <the> opportunity of telling them how you [MS burned] to go to the Andes as soon as you [MS burned] obtain the necessary funds. I think [MS burned] would interest them to have a <sm>all set of your best things from <Tr>inidad, and to know the reason of [MS burned] not having received anything [MS burned]

[MS burned] Waiting for more hopeful prospects in [MS burned] letter

Yours very sincerely | Alfred R. Wallace [signature]