THOMAS ANDREW KNIGHT. 
37 
Dartmouth, he was called to the chair, and filled the office until his death in 1838. Mr. Knight 
was an active member of the Society from its commencement. When made President he 
infused his own practical energy into the working of the Society, and at the same time his own 
unselfish desire to use its organization to the utmost extent for the promotion of Scientific 
Horticulture. Under his presidency, the Horticultural Society reached its highest repute and 
popularity, and was joined, not only by men of Science and practical gardeners, but by nearly all the 
rank and wealth of the Kingdom. Its funds then became ample, and the greatest energy was shewn 
in procuring new plants, seeds, grafts, &c., and the best information, from all parts of the world. 
These were distributed amongst the members, with unsparing liberality. “ A complete revolution 
“ was thus effected in the Science and practice of gardening, and a great public benefit was conferred 
“throughout the Kingdom.” [Gardeners Chronicle , 1877). 
The complete success of the Horticultural Society was a great source of happiness to 
Mr. Knight himself. As its President he was necessarily brought into communication with the 
most scientific men of his day on a great variety of interesting subjects. His society was sought 
out, and his opinions received everywhere with the greatest deference. Besides his great 
friend Sir Joseph Banks, and many other members of the London Scientific Society of the day, he 
became intimate with Sir Humphrey Davy, who in his work on Agricultural Chemistry adopts the 
results of some of his experiments. Sir Humphrey visited Mr. Knight, and gives a pleasant 
description of Downton in his “Salmonia.” Then there was the necessary scientific correspondence 
of the Society devolving upon him, English and Foreign : amongst others that with M. M. Dutrochet, 
Mirbel, and Decandolle, on matters relating to various points in Vegetable Physiology. 
How fully Mr. Knight’s services were appreciated, and their great and varied character, will 
be best shown by the following list of the honours given him :—In 1801 the Society of Arts awarded 
to Mr. Knight its Silver Medal “for a new turnip drill;” in 1806 the Royal Society presented its 
Gold Medal to Mr. Knight “for his papers on Vegetable Physiology;” in 1814 the Horticultural 
Society gave him its Gold Medal “ for his various and important communications to the Society, not 
only of Papers printed in their Transactions, but of grafts and buds of his valuable new fruits.” He 
was also awarded the Large Silver Medal of the Society in 1815 “ for the Black Eagle Cherry /” in 
1817 “for the Waterloo Cherry ,” and in 1818 “for the Elton Cherry; in 1822 he got the Silver 
Banksian Medal “for new varieties of Pears;” in 1836 the Society presented him with the first 
impression of its new Large Gold Medal “for the signal services he has rendered to Horticulture by 
his Physiological researches;” and, lastly, in 1835, when the Horticultural Society decided to have 
another medium-sized medal, it did Mr. Knight the very high honour of having his profile struck by 
Mr. Wyon on the die. 
Since the year 1817 the Knightian Medal, in gold and in silver, has been frequently awarded ; 
and never, may it be added, has this Gold Medal been given more worthily than when, in 1875, it 
was awarded to Worthington G. Smith, Esq., F.L.S., an honorary member of the Woolhope Club, 
for his discovery of the true cause of the Potatoe disease, by his clear demonstration of the life history 
of the microscopic fungus, Peronospoi'a infestans . 
Distant Societies also vied with those in London, in paying tribute to Mr. Knight’s talents 
and industry. In 1815 the Caledonian Horticultural Society gave him its Gold Medal “in testimony 
