Evening journal., 1921-03-16
voice TRIBUTE
TO v. NJ. CANDY
Wilmington Naturalist Won
National Fame; Declined
College Honor
WAS AUTHORITY IN
FIELD OF RESEARCH


National History Society OF Delaware.
we're voiced az the s0ciety's meeting
on Monday evening In st. Andrews
parish house. Henry NJ. Candy. son
Of the late William M. Candy. pre-
sided over the meeting. William NJ.
Canby's scientific attainments and
acquaintances with scientific men;
zeal for the pursuit OF botany
and acknowledged authority in.
his field Of research. made him
the logical and lasting choice for
the Office which he held from 1891,
until his death, on March 10th, 1904.
Few Wilmingt0nians," said
Frank Morton Jones, who has ar
ranged In book form for the ar
chives Of the Society. 'sThe Botanical
Correspondence OF william n. Can
BY" appreciated al what sacrifice OF
time and money, he built up the her
| barium OF the Society, until Il in
cluded many thousands OF labeled
specimens; few Wilmingtonians ap
/ preoiated, perhaps the est stimation In
which he was held. as a botanist. by
his co-workers OF this and other
lands. Mr. Canby's published papers
being few in number and appearing
only in botanical journals. The
botanical literature Of the period
from 1870 10 1904. however abound
ing in references to his aid and CO.
operation, and his botanical cores
pondence. reveal his place in Amer
lean botany"
Beginning with letter from John
Torrey. the father OF American
botany. dated 1865. the series in
cludes the familiar names Of Charles
Darwin, Asa Gray. Addison Brown
Spencer Il. Baird. l.. ID. Cope. Drs
Britton, Cougdon, Coulter. Coville.
Engelmann. Mellichamp Ca surgeon
in the Confederate Army, a country
physician and always an enthusias-
tic botanisD, Sargent Trelease.
Fries Of Nipsala; Fender Of Trini-
dad; John Ball of England; Macoun
Peck. Rothrock. Ranenal. Redheld.
Watson and dozens OF other we'll
known botanical authorities.
The Asa Gray letters unfortunate
~ missing, may, IN many instances.
be seen In the published correspon-
, dence Of that recognized American
leader. From these and the pub
) lished letters OF Charles Darwin,
much can be reconstructed. showing
the value Of Mr. Canby's scientific
work.
Before Darwin had published his
"Insectivorous Plants" Mr.. Canhy's
papers had appeared on "Dionaea'
7 / Venus Fly-trap); 'Drosera" tthe
Sundew), and "Darllngtonia." tho
California pitcher plant Indeed
Darwin declares that a letter from
, Candy to Gray fires me up TO com
plete and publish on Drosera. Dion
4 aea," etc, which latter he later say
p. in a letter to Mr.. Candy. Il look a
the most wonderful plant in tn
world" This fortunately rather in
conspicuous plant is native to the vi
| cinity OF Wilmington, North Caro-
lima and nowhere else in the world
Bfinging some OF these plants home
J. Mr. Candy observed them daily ans
- found among other tests. tina
8 cheese disagreed with them hor
rihly;" the digestive fluid pouring
from the leaves being unable L
( cope with this appetizing dairy pro
= duct. Darwin, it is most interesting
S TO know, Acknowledges in his pub
{ lished works. his Indebtedness q
e / "Dr W. NJ. Candy OF Wilmington.
Among the most valuable OF al
y the records and letters in the Canb,
u collection. in some respects, is tn
MSS Journal OF Mrs. r. NJ. Austii
y who, in a remote mountain vale
= OF California, spent years OF stud
= on "Darlingtonia" (pitcher plant
and whose first botanical correspon
= dent was MT Candy who sent he
!, books, a hand lens and encourage
a ment and advice which enabled he
to do noteworthy work in the botani
"a cal exploration OF the west.
~ Many letters from DR.. Charlie
Sprague Sargent covering a CORES
, pondence Of 20 years. contain muc
n Of Mr.. Canby's work in "Crataegus
d (the thorns) to which he devote
a much time and study, one species 6
n which bears his name.
81 From this collection OF letter.
l. from the scientific leaders in botar
l. ical thought OF his day. the worl
l. over. 1t is seen that William n
Candy was accepted as an equal an
= as a valued friend. To some, his lei
ters. his encouragement, his gifts {
books. must have been a bright sp'
in a hostile environment
|, A biographical sketch of Mr.. Can
BY, appearing in the Botanical Ga
zette OF May, 1904, was, upon re
quest, read by Miss Mary r. de Vol
ie The nearly 73 years of Mr.. Candy
h life were manifestly those Of a mos
Dc industrious man Of affairs, as we
J. as of scientific research, he havin
served as director in various raj