William Rennie (horticulturist)
William Rennie was a Canadian farmer who became a successful seed merchant, educator, and writer on agriculture.[1][2] Rennie's parents were farmers. Rennie started farming his own 120 acre section in 1860. But in 1867 he rented out his farm, moved to Toronto, and opened a seed company that sold both vegetable and floral seeds. Most of his customers purchased their seeds through a colorful mail order catalogue.
William Rennie | |
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Born | |
Died | July 24, 1910 75) | (aged
Nationality | Canadian |
Occupation | Farmer, seed merchant, educator, writer |
Rennie retired in 1889, turning over management of his business to three of his four sons, Robert, John and Thomas Rennie.[1][2] (His fourth son, William Jr, became a Presbyterian missionary.) After his retirement Rennie became the first official farm manager of the model farm at the Faculty of Agriculture at the University of Guelph, where he authored two book on farm management.
References
- "William Rennie". Dictionary of Canadian Biography. Retrieved 2015-04-01.
- John McCutcheon (2007). "The William Rennie Seed Company: A Corporate History". Wilfrid Laurier University. Retrieved 2015-05-01.