THE 



Canadian Horticulturist 



PROMINENT CANADIAN HORTICULTURISTS.— XXVI. 



REV. E. B. STEVENSON, GUELPH, ONT. 



HERE are men who are said to ride hobbies because, whatever 

 their regular avocation may by, they have some favorite line 

 of study or pursuit in which they are deeply interested and 

 which seems to carry them away at times entirely from the 

 business of life. This is commendable too, in many instances, 

 especially where, as in the case of Mr. Stevenson, the hobby is 

 such as to be a means of physical recreation and mental refresh- 

 ment. So much has he become engrossed in the study of the 

 strawberry, that it has become to him a delight, and every 

 new variety produced by his experimental hybridization becomes another 

 addition to his pets. 



Last year Mr. Stevenson was appointed experimenter in strawberries for 

 the Provincial Department of Agriculture, and a valuable report from him has 

 just been published in the Fruit Growers' Report for 1895. It was in order to 

 see some of his favorite varieties that the writer visited Guelph on the loth of 

 June last. Maplebank, at Guelph, is the early home of our strawberry specialist, 

 and is still occupied by his father, Mr. William Stevenson, and here the pet 

 vafieties of strawberries have also a permanent home. 



Maplebank is situated on a beautiful elevation commanding a fine view 

 of the City of Guelph. The house is antique both in structure and in 

 furnishing, and is surrounded by a spacious and interesting yard planted with 



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