The Canadian Horticulturist. 



PROMINENT CANADIAN HORTICULTURISTS -XIX. 

 Mr. Linus Woolverton, "The Secretary." 



N accordance with the wish of the Directors of our Associa- 

 tion, we give, in this number, an engraving of our Secretary 

 and Editor, in order to introduce him more fully to the 

 readers of this magazine, who are already well acquainted 

 with him by letter. 



He was born on the 12th of December, 1846, at 

 Grimsby, Ontario. The family of Woolvertons to which he belongs is one of 

 the oldest of this early settled Niagara district, and trace their family history 

 back through two hundred years to England, where there are still found several 

 places of the name. His father, Mr. C. E. Woolverton, who had himself received 

 his education at Madison University. New York State, so highly valued university 

 advantages, that he spared no pains to give his son a thorough college training. 

 This course was fully appreciated by the son, whose thirst for knowledge and 

 love of books has always been one of his leading characteristics. 



After due preparation at Grimsby High School, and one year at the Uni- 

 versity of Rochester, he entered the University College at Toronto, taking 

 the first scholarship ($120) ever taken at senior matriculation, in the 

 department of classics. During his course at the University, he gave much 

 attention to the study of natural science, and this has been of the utmost advan- 

 tage in later years to him in his horticultural pursuits. In due time he was 

 granted the degrees of B.A., in 1869, and M.A., in 1870. His first thought 

 then was to pursue the study of law, and, with this in view, he entered a law 

 office in Toronto and spent a portion of the winter of 1869-70 in legal studies. 

 In October. 1S70, he married Miss S. F. Lorimer, daughter of the late Rev. A. 

 Lorimer, B.A., then Librarian of the University of Toronto. For a term of 

 fifteen years after graduating he held the position of examiner in Classics and 

 English at Woodstock College : a position he felt obliged to relinquish on 

 accepting the work of Secretary of our Association. 



Just about this time, Mr. A. M. Smith's retirement from partnership in the 

 nursery business with his father, made an opening for the son to come into his 

 place and carry on a business to which he had already given some attention. 

 The business was largely local and no agents were employed, as the demand for 

 nursery stock in this fruit section was at that time very considerable. After a 

 few years Mr. Woolverton became so enamoured with fruit growing, that he 

 resolved to quit the nursery business and give his whole attention to the former: 

 and. with the consent of his father, who gave up the whole farm to his management 

 on the most generous basis also deeding him a portion of it, he gradually 

 planted out'one hundred acres in fruit trees. This farm, spoken of in these 



