THE NEW CURATOR.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 12827, 11 June 1907, Page 8

THE NEW CURATOR.

Provious to his coining to Now Zealand, less thnn n year ago, Mr Davics, the now curator, hiul charge for twenty years, of Lord Riddulph's gardens at Ledbury Park. Ledbury, Herefordshire, England. Ho commenced exhibiting very successfully eighteen years ago at the great Crystal Palate Show, and from that date was an exhibitor at most of tho big shows held in London, Shrews-bury, Edinburgh, Glasgow, and other centres. Ono of his greatest successes wns the gaining of the premier award, being tho international prize for the best collection of fruit at tho Glasgow Exhibition. The following year, at the great show at Edinburgh, he won twenty-four first prizes, six seconds, nnd threo thirds out of forty entries. At tho great fruit show held in London in October, 1905, he was far and nwnv the most successful exhibitor in the hardy fruit classes, nnd was awarded the Hogg "Memorial Medal, the highest award that a fruit grower can gain, for thirty dishes of fruit representing tho hardy fruit grown in Grent Britain. At the Royal Horticultural Society's Show in London he judged for several years. He also took a lending part in municipal affairs in Ledbury, and on his departure for New Zealand was presented with a purse of sovereigns and address, in recognition of his public services to the town aud district.