In a recent special issue of the Kingston Whig, a portrait of Mayor Fred Newman of Picton is published, together with the following article on Picton and Prince Edward County:

Picton is the geographical hub, commercial centre and county town of the most productive garden county of the premier province of the greatest Dominion and vastest empire the world has ever known.

Thus, if Picton is the best town of the best county, of the best province, of the best Dominion, and of the best empire in the world, it must be the best town in the world, all surroundings and circumstances considered.

It is said that the difference between Prince Edward county and the Garden of Eden is that in this county there is no forbidden apple. The apples are all marketed. The total value of farm products of the county for 1915 is figured at $6,385,000. The soil and climate encourages such a variety of crops that we never have a crop failure, and as Picton depends mostly on the surrounding county for its trade, we never have a depression here.

The past year has been one of the best in our history; the whole town is enjoying substantial prosperity in every way. The eight main roads leading into Picton are county roads, built under Government supervision, graded and rolled like a city pavement at an average cost of $4,000 per mile. Prince Edward county has over eighty miles of these excellent roads, and about three hundred automobiles, the marvellous Sand Banks, the mysterious Lake-on-the-Mountain, three miles in circumference, two hundred feet above and only twenty rods from the Bay of Quinte, together with the magnificent orchards, beautiful scenery, numerous bays and lakes; it is called the Tourists’ Paradise.

Our factories all report increased business in the past year. Carloads of automobiles are arriving for 1916. Our wholesale and retail merchants are all cheerful with the bright prospects for the future.