CAKA DIAK HORTICUL TURIST. 



date tlian they were in its culture. 

 Theirs was the largest and best orchard 

 and garden in the entire district, and 

 when young Alec could give no other 

 points of excellence to varieties, they 

 wer'e sure to be marked by the presence 

 of sticks under tlie trees of those con- 

 sidered strictly the best. 



At a recent meeting of our Associa- 

 tion in Stratford the mayor (who had 

 been his teacher in the grammar 

 school), in speaking words of congratu- 

 lation to the Association, took occasion 

 to remark that " he did not wonder 

 at Mr. McD. Allan reaching 

 the highest office in the gift of 

 the Association, as it was well known 

 in Perth that lie could tell all about 

 the various fruits and their names in 

 every garden and orchard within the 

 scope of his ti'avels in the county." 



His writings on agriculture under 

 various names de plume, such as 

 " Agricola," " Hortus," '' Sydney," 

 " Fructus," etc., have appeared in 

 all classes of papers, begin- 

 ning with the old Canadian Far- 

 mer. For many years also he 

 wrote for the Country Gentleman and 

 the American Agriculturist under 

 various nomes de 'plumc. Later in life 

 he edited the Huron Signal. But in 

 all his experience in journalism he has 

 never been known to write a line of a 

 political bearing, having never had a 

 taste or inclination that way. Many 

 years ago his letters on the fruits and 

 tlie fruit growing in Canada appeared 

 in several British journals,which opened 

 up favorable criticism on the possibilities 

 of a trade opening in fruits between 

 Britain and her forest colony. 



He represented the counties of 

 Huron, Bruce and Grey for about twelve 

 years on the board of the F. G. A., also till- 

 ed the vicechair for twoyearsof that time. 



His name is "well-known " all over 

 this continent, as well as in Britain, by 

 horticultural and sister associations. 



He has had enormous correspondence 

 for such societies all over this continent, 

 as well as in foreign parts, regarding 

 his methods of picking, packing, select- 



ing and marketing fruits, as well as 

 points on growing, etc. 



It is fair to say that Canada is now 

 reaping the benefit of his labors at the 

 Colonial and Indian Exhibition in many 

 ways where he had the position, under 

 the Dominion Government,of Canadian 

 fruit expert and commissioner. Ex- 

 perience in journalism also there gave 

 him the opportunity and ability of 

 giving to newspapers of many foreign 

 countries, through their consuls (Nor- 

 way, Sweden, Denmark, France, Ger- 

 many, Russia), articles on Canadian 

 pomology, etc, which has now resulted in 

 an amount of foreign correspondence 

 which is almost burdensome. 



He has been intimately connected 

 for many years with many of the lead- 

 ing American horticultural societies, 

 and is a life member of the American 

 Pomological Society. Every season he 

 gets specimens of the new varieties of 

 various fruits for examination, and is 

 constantly appealed to in the States, as 

 well as in Canada, for nomenclature. 



In his own county (Huron) he has 

 occupied the highest position in 

 societies for advancement of horticul- 

 ture and agricultui'e, and is now Presi- 

 dent of the North-Western Exhibition 

 at Goderich. He was the originator of 

 the " Dominion Draught Horse Stud 

 Book " in the interest of stock breeders. 



He has never sought municipal 

 honors, in fact he has never turned his 

 attention to anything specially but 

 horticulture and agriculture, where all 

 his tastes lie. 



Every year he is invited to the 

 leading as well as very many other ex- 

 hibitions both in Canada and the States, 

 as ih fruit expert. 



He receives many requests to attend 

 fari,ners' institutes to address farmers 

 on fruits, and fruit culture, etc., a good 

 many of which he has complied with 

 during the past few years. 



We have thus given our readers an 

 outline sketch of a life which we trust 

 may long be spared to aid his fellows 

 in the farther promotion of the interests 

 of Canadian pomology. 



