M. G. (Maurice Grenville) Kains

Maurice Grenville Kains was a Canadian-born gardening writer and editor who lived from 1868 to 1946. Library and public-domain records identify him as the author of numerous books on horticulture, herbs, fruit growing, pruning, plant propagation, home canning, and self-reliant country living.

His books were written for ordinary readers rather than specialists, which helps explain their long afterlife in libraries, reprints, and public-domain collections. Among the titles most closely associated with him are Culinary Herbs, Five Acres and Independence, Home Fruit Grower, Making Horticulture Pay, and Propagation of Plants.

Kains had a gift for turning garden knowledge into practical advice. Whether he was writing about herbs, orchards, or the possibilities of a small farm, his books aimed to make useful skills feel manageable and rewarding.