[NATURAL HISTORY]. WALLACE, Alfred Russel (1823-1913). Autograph letter signed ("Alfred Wallace"), to Sir William Turner Thiselton-Dyer, 14 February 1898, Parkstone, Dorset.

1p., 12mo, old folds, Royal Gardens rubberstamp, docketed on verso.
WALLACE SENDS AN EXOTIC ORCHID TO DIRECTOR OF ROYAL GARDENS FOR IDENTIFICATION. "I send herewith a flower of an orchid I received from Montserrat, West Indies last summer. I shall be obliged if you can give me the name; and if it should happen that you haven't got it I shall be glad to send you the plant, as I have no room for such an ornamental species in my small house." Dyer returns his request two days later with the name of the plant ("Epidendrum umbellatum") written on the verso of the letter and with the note "Plant-in Kew collection." Dyer was a leading British botanist and the third director of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew from 1885-1905. Under his leadership, Dyer appointed the first women gardeners at Kew in 1896. In 1880, Dyer was elected to the Fellowship of the Royal Society, his proposers being Charles Darwin and George Bentham.

[With:] WALLACE. ALS to "Mr. Davies", 7 October 1893, Parkstone, Dorset. 3pp. on bifolium, old folds, a magazine cut-out of a photo of Wallace attached. Wallace turns down a lecture and gives an update on his children: "Violet is at Liverpool in charge of a Kindergarten... Will is at Newcastle-on-Tyne learning the practical work of Electrical Engineering with a large firm..." -- WALLACE. ALS to "Miss Chant", 6 December 1903, Old Orchard, Broadstone. 1p., 12mo, old folds. WALLACE REQUESTS HIS "GRINNING" PHOTO. The author writes to his photographer asking for her to send him the photo of him smiling "which everybody likes so much!" -- Together, 3 letters.

Property from the Estate of Peter Fortsas