MEN WHO HAVE SUCCEEDED- VHI 



HON. JOHN DRYDEN. 



THIRTEEN YEARS MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE— THE 

 FARMER'S FRIEND— PATRON OF ADVANCED HORTICUL- 

 TURE—FOUNDER OF THE ONTARIO FRUIT STATIONS 

 AND FRUIT INSTITUTES — A USEFUL CAREER. 



HON. JOHN DRYDEN will soon 

 have completed his thirteenth year 

 as Minister of A^ricnltr.rc for the 

 Province of Ontario. Before being ap- 

 pointed to that office in 1890 he had served 

 his country well, he had done his full share 

 in shaping the agricultural history of his 

 country and had made a magnificent contri- 

 bution to the welfare of Canada. Though 

 for these forty years past he has been promi- 

 nent as a breeder and importer of pure bred 

 stock, he has shown such a sympathy with 

 all other lines of our varied agriculture that 

 he has gradually come to be recognized as 

 the most successful Minister of Agriculture 

 that Canada and her provinces have known. 

 He has taken a deep interest in the fruit 

 growing interests of Ontario, and the Pro- 

 vincial Association and the local horticultu- 

 ral societies have, through all the years of 

 his ministry, found in him a warm friend. 

 The best friends are those who warn as well 

 as advise, those who reprimand as well as 

 praise, those who restrain as well as help. 

 Mr. Dryden has helped our work and at the 

 same time has been honest enough to point 

 out our weaknesses and correct our mis- 

 takes. His advice has always been whole- 

 some and frank. His advice has not been 

 mere theory either, for though he does not 

 claim to be a specialist in fruit growing, he 

 is away in advance of the average farmer, 

 having upon his farm at Brooklin, near 

 Whitby, one of the finest apple orchards of 

 Central Ontario, an orchard where the best 

 methods are adopted, conducted on scientific 

 principles, one that is productive. 



Of this orchard he is quite proud. 



What are the special horticultural works 

 that have been originated and developed un- 

 der Mr. Dryden's care ? 



The Horticultural Department, as a sepa- 

 rate and distinct branch, was begun some 

 years ago at the. Agricultural College by the 

 minister's appointment of Prof. Hutt. 

 Visitors to the college, hundreds of students, 

 and thousands of readers know how this 

 work has grown and spread until now it is 

 one of the strong and influential branches of 

 that important institution. It is no longer 

 necessary for our young men to go to Cor- 

 nell and other American colleges to get a 

 special training in horticulture. Only last 

 year one of the recent graduates of the col- 

 lege received a voluntary offer to go to Utah 

 to take charge of the State horticultural 

 work. Before Mr. Dryden's regime such a 

 man would not have been available. Men- 

 tion might be made of many who have set- 

 tled down in this Province and who are rap- 

 idly moving to the front in horticulture. 



An extensive system of experimental sta- 

 tions is another of the minister's gifts. We 

 asked for one station and he has given us a 

 dozen ; not, it is true, of the nature asked 

 for, but, in his opinion, and in the opinion 

 of many, more serviceable than one elabo- 

 rate station restricted to one section. 



Under Mr. Dryden the fruit growers de- 

 monstration school was started, the spray- 

 ing instructors were sent out. The school- 

 master was sent abroad armed with that new 

 weapon of mystery and ridicule, the spray 

 pump. The work was begun in discourage- 



