CHAPTER VIII 



THE RETIRED SCHOLAR 



v 



Since 1902 BEIJERINCK has owned a plot of ground, on which he 

 had built a cottage, and he was in the habit of spending the summer 

 holidays there with his nearest relatives. Now he settled in a more 

 comfortable house next-door to it, with a large garden adjoining. An 

 idea of the idyllic situation of this last home of the great scientist is 

 given by the water-colour painted by his sister Henriette, reproduced 

 in Plate VIII. 



In his new surroundings BEIJERINCK was able once more to devote 

 himself entirely to botany; soon the place was transformed into a 

 wonder-garden full of botanical curiosities, where he showed his 

 visitors round with great enthusiasm, and was never tired of explain- 

 ing everything in detail. The gardeners here - - like those at Delft 

 had to steer a difficult middle course to satisfy their irascible master. 

 If they did not keep the garden in order, they were stormed at, but if 

 they cleared away "too much", e.g., by hoeing away a particular weed 

 in the middle of the path, they were rated still more : they should have 

 had the sense to see and understand that this little plant of all others 

 should have been spared . . . . ! 



In the first years of this last period of his life, it was a delight to 

 spend a week-end at the "Kleine Haar", as the country-seat was called. 

 In Plate IX one sees BEIJERINCK as he was in these happy years, in an 

 informal photograph taken by the distinguished microbiologist Pro- 

 fessor S. A. WAKSMAN, when he visited BEIJERINCK in 1924. 



When the visitor got out of the 'bus which stopped right in front 

 of the house, the great scholar came to meet him with outstretched 

 hand, asked in a friendly way how he was, took his case out his hand 

 and led the way to a tree where he had just discovered a remarkable 

 beetle. There they entered into an academic discourse \vhich might 

 last for half an hour, till BEIJERINCK came to the conclusion that the 

 tired traveller might wish to refresh himself, and took his case to the 

 guest-room, then waiting for him impatiently in his study. Here an 

 enormous discharge of ideas and opinions came out in spate, and, the 

 old Delft habits still being strong, the guest was taken to task for his 

 ignorance, the lecture being followed up by a brilliant exposition of 

 the right answer as it should have been given. Then a walk through 

 the woods of Gorssel, which might last for hours, and where BEIJE- 

 RINCK also physically showed his indefatigability. This was followed 



