Wallace, Alfred Russell to Francis Galton

Letters from Wallace to Galton regarding the establishment of a facility for experimental research and breeding.

03 February 1891. Wallace informs Galton that a "combined and systematic approach" is needed to answer the questions of the inheritance of characteristics, and sterility in hybrids. He proposes establishing a small experimental farm, or conducting experiments at Kew or the Zoological Gardens.

06 February 1891. Wallace informs Galton that his ideas are not yet ready for publication, and that he believes Galton to be best able to establish the research farm, alongside Lankester, Poulton and others.

07 February 1891. Wallace encloses details of proposed experiments: testing heredity of acquired characters with plants; testing heredity of acquired characters with animals; experiments on instinct; and fertility in hybrids.

13 February 1891. Wallace responds to Galton's criticism of his proposed experiments.

02 December 1896. Regarding Galton's circular proposing an experimental farm. Wallace supports the idea of the Royal Society establishing a Committee, and suggests purchasing land next to Down for the farm.

Feb 1891

5 letters plus 1 enclosure

The papers are available at UCL Special Collections and Archives subject to the usual conditions of access to Archives and Manuscripts material, after the completion of a Reader's Undertaking.

A digitised copy is held by the Wellcome Library as part of Codebreakers: Makers of Modern Genetics.

The original material is held at UCL Special Collections. This catalogue is held by the Wellcome Library as part of Codebreakers: Makers of Modern Genetics.