THOMAS ANDREW KNIGHT. 
35 
different apples, the Red and Yellow Ingestrie apples, were not only derived from the same 
parentage, as shewn in this table, but actually sprang from two pips which occupied the same cell, 
in the same apple ; twin plants in every particular: yet the Yellow Ingestrie , of Golden Pippin 
colour, ripens in October; whilst the Red Ingestrie resembles the Golden Reinette , and comes to 
maturity in November. 
Mr. Knight was one of the original members of the Herefordshire Agricultural Society, and 
carried into its service the same energetic activity, and the same scientific spirit, which contributed 
so largely to the success of the Royal Horticultural Society ; and it was no doubt, owing to his 
influence that premiums were offered for new varieties of cider apples. These prizes were given 
for some years, and amongst the “ Herefordshire Tracts ,” at the Permanent Library, in Hereford, is 
a short paper descriptive of the successful apples. It was probably written by Mr. Knight himself. 
It describes several of his own seedlings, and bears so great an interest in the Pomology of 
Herefordshire, that it must be given as an appendix in full. 
Mr. Knight also edited for the Herefordshire Agricultural Society the “ Pomona 
Herefordiensis, containing coloured “ engravings of the old Cider and Perry fruits of Herefordshire, 
“with such new fruits as have been found to possess superior excellence.” This was published 
in 1816. The letter-press was written by Mr. Knight, and the original drawings for it were made 
by Miss Matthews, daughter of Col. Matthews of Belmont, and by his own daughter Miss Frances 
Knight, under his superintendence. It is a very beautiful work and will always maintain its 
interest and value. 
Mr. Knight took even a greater interest in the cultivation of Pears than of Apples. His 
very numerous experiments in crossing different varieties of plants had led him to observe—in 
opposition to the opinion of Linnseus—that “ in the seedlings, with few exceptions, there was 
“ always a strong prevalence of the constitution and habits of the seed-bearing plant ”—and this 
observation was of very great service to him in raising new varieties of pears. The Pear likes a 
warmer climate than the apple, and in order to obtain good hardy varieties of pears to suit 
Herefordshire, he made a point of introducing the pollen from the rich flavoured and more delicate 
kinds, into the carefully prepared blossoms of those which were hardy in character—thus he used 
the pollen from the St. Germain , Crasanne , Colmar, Bezi de Chaumontel\ &c., &c., with the blossoms 
of such hardy Autumn and Winter pears, as Autumn Bergamot, Swans-egg, Aston Town, &c., &c., 
in order that the character and habits of the new varieties might also be hardy. That he was very 
successful in this respect has been practically proved. His many hundred seedlings tried his 
patience greatly in coming to maturity, but as they did so, he sent the best of them to the gardens 
of the Horticultural Society in London. Here they bore fruit, and were twice officially reported 
upon. These reports on their character and value are most interesting, and must also be re-printed 
in full at the end of this paper, with Mr. Knight’s own comments on the judgement; for they are 
all true Herefordshire varieties; they bear for the most part Herefordshire names; and have been 
thus officially pronounced to be most excellent pears. 
Mr. Knight had the pleasant habit of presenting trees to his friends, and naming the new 
varieties from their residences ; thus his seedling Pears have been named : Garnons, from the seat of 
Sir John Geers Cotterell, Bart. ; Foxley, the seat of Sir Robert Price, Bart., M.P. ; Rouse Lench , an 
