KNIGHT AISD LOWELL. 49 



and he was acknowledged to be the highest authority in regard to 

 the names and synonymes of fruits. His work was taken up at 

 his death by his son, of the same name, who for some years con- 

 tinued to identify, test, and disseminate the valuable fruits collected 

 by his father and himself. 1 



In 1823, also, John Lowell published an interesting notice of 

 Thomas Andrew Knight, president of the London Horticultural 

 Society, his experiments, and his presents to the Massachusetts 

 Society for Promoting Agriculture. These presents consisted of 

 trees and scions of the new varieties of fruit originated by Mr. 

 Knight, or introduced from the continent of Europe, which were 

 confided to Mr. Lowell, as president of the Agricultural Societ} T , for 

 propagation and distribution. To this source we are indebted for 

 the first introduction of some of our finest fruits ; the first parcel 

 received from Mr. Knight comprising, among others, the Urban- 

 iste, Marie Louise, Napoleon, and Passe Colmar pears, the Black 

 Eagle, Elton, Downton, and Waterloo cherries, and the Coe's 

 Golden Drop plum. Mr. Lowell continued for some years to re- 

 ceive from Mr. Knight trees and scions of new fruits, and, when 

 the Massachusetts Horticultural Society was organized, he freely 

 offered scions of these improved varieties to its members. 2 At 

 about the same time, Judge Buel of Alban}^ also imported from Mr. 

 Knight and from the London Horticultural Society choice new 

 varieties of fruits ; 8 and Samuel G. Perkins of Brookline offered 

 to give strawberry plants, and scions of new pears and plums, 

 which he had received from the London Horticultural Society and 

 other sources, to such persons as would call or send for them. 4 It 

 will be remembered that Messrs. Lowell, Buel, and Perkins were 

 corresponding members of the London Society. 



It was at about this time that the decay of the fine old varieties 

 of the pear was noticed. In 1826 Mr. Lowell stated that the 

 Chaumontelle, Virgouleuse, St. Germain, Summer and Winter 

 Bonchretiens, and St. Michael, were generally in a diseased or des- 

 perate state. 



The grounds of Henry Pratt, at Lemon Hill, near Philadelphia, 

 which were for a long time considered the show garden of that 



1 Book of Fruits, p. 5; New England Fanner, Vol. XXT. p. 164; Bulletin of the Essex 

 Institute, Vol. II. p. 24; Horticultural Register, Vol. I. p. 290, Vol. II. p. 249. 



2 Mass. Ag. Repos., Vol. VII. p. 331, Vol. VHI. pp. 140, 344, Vol. X. p. 205; New Eng- 

 land Farmer, Vol. II. p. 217, Vol. VI. p. 331, Vol. VII. p. 401. 



New England Farmer, Vol. in. p. 291. 

 * Ibid., Vol. IV. p. 22. 



