178 



TJie Canadian Horticulturist. 



SOME CANADIAN HORTICULTURISTS.— VIII. 



W. H. MILLS, HAMILTON, ONT. 



A Sketch Written by His Daughter. 



THE subject of the present sketch 

 holds a prominent position 

 among Canadian Horticulturists who 

 have made valuable contributions to 

 the science of fruit production and 

 culture in our province ; his writings 

 on these and kindred subjects have 

 appeared from time to time through 

 the press, in the United States and 

 Canada, marked by ability and clear- 

 ness of perception. 



The portrait, accompanying this 

 sketch in our present number, is a 

 correct likeness of William Hamilton 

 Mills, who was born in the village 

 of Hamilton, now known as the 

 " Ambitious City," on the fourth day 

 of August, 1822, of Scotch and 

 German parentage, toilers and tillers 

 of the soil, among the hardy pioneers 

 grappling with all the hardships of 

 the earliest settlers, preparing the 

 fields for golden grain and blooming 

 rose. Among scenes like these on his 

 father's farm, his younger days were 

 passed. Hill and dale, field and forest, 

 contributed to his love of nature. 



Securing a limited book education 

 under difficulties then prevailing, 

 — happily now removed through an 

 efficient school system — he, however, 

 fitted himself for the study of law 

 under the tuition of Dr. Kay, and 

 having passed preliminary examina- 

 tions, was by the Benchers of the Law 

 Society of Upper Canada, admitted 

 • a member thereof at the age of nine- 

 teen, subsequently pursuing studies 



in the law office of Mr. Richard 

 Beasley. Having finished his clerk- 

 ship under this gentleman he took 

 out certificates and practised for 

 several years, but the old love for the 

 beauties and mysteries of nature re- 

 mained with him, he abandoned the 

 practice of law and turned his atten- 

 tion to the more congenial study of 

 fruits and flowers, in which he has 

 been engaged for many years in a 

 quiet and unobtrusive way. 



To enable himself more effectually 

 to persue experimentally these 

 studies he purchased three acres of 

 suitable soil, within easy walk of his 

 residence, to which he gave the name of 

 " Pomona," coveringthis with various 

 fruits and vines, the output of which 

 we hope to be able to lay before our 

 readers in time. In this way he was 

 led to take an active part in estab- 

 lishing our present Fruit Growers' 

 Association, drafting the necessary 

 papers under the Act 31, Vic. chap. 

 29, in 1868, and in conjunction with 

 his old horticultural friends a meeting 

 was convened at the Court House, 

 Hamilton, on the 15th da}- of 

 May, 1868. At the request of those 

 present he took his seat as President, 

 pro tein, until the general annual 

 election, when again he was elected 

 the first President under the above 

 act, delivering his first address 22nd 

 Sept., 1868, in which he reviewed the 

 labors of the old association, and set 

 forth the duties and responsibilities 



