12 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



of cultivation. Judgiug by records of discussions in the proceedings 

 of the Horticultural Society the strawberry claimed more attention than 

 any other fruit in the early days, but about 1890 dissatisfaction witli 

 the crop began 1o appear. 



The raspberry became a crop of commercial importance about 1890 

 or at about the time when strawberry growing began to decline. About 

 1900 this crop reached its climax. It is still grown extensively and 

 profitably but the disease called ''club-root" locally has discouraged 

 some of the former growers. The raspberry is profitably grown with 

 greater success than strawberries on the drier soils. Such soils are 

 certainly not congenial to the strawberry. Possibly the deeper rooting 

 of raspberries makes part of this difference. 



According to Mr. I. T{. Sanford, one of our best posted residents 

 on early Muskegon history, the earliest plantings of apple trees were 

 made by his father and by Mr. Peck, in 1862. In the printed record of 

 the Muskegon Pioneer and Historical Society for 1887, it is stated that 

 the first settlers in Muskegon found a few apple and peach trees in 

 bearing condition on the shore of Muskegon Lake, Avhich were probably 

 planted by Indian traders. It is also asserted that the first attempt of 

 planting an orchard in Muskegon county was by George Ruddiman, in 

 1818. His trees came by boat from Rochester, N. Y., via. Chicago. In 

 1887, thirty-six of these trees (apple, pear, cherry, plum), were growing 

 and bearing near Muskegon Lake on the old mill site where Mr. Ruddi- 

 man planted them. 



A few apple trees of the old Peck orchard still stand. The orchard, 

 which also included peaches, and some grapes, covered about 20 acres 

 between Peck and Jiroch streets on the west and east respectively and 

 south of Irwin street. At the present time there is a considerable 

 area in well-kept and profitable apple orchards in the townships of 

 Casnovia, Ilolton, Wliitehall, Montague, Ravenna and Norton. From 

 my knowledge of the old standard varieties of apples which I gained as 

 a boy in the old orchard planted in Lenawee courity by my grandfather 

 who was an early pioneer from New York, I conclude that there is a 

 great amount of ignorance among Muskegon county apple growers as 

 to identity of standard varieties or that fraud is often practiced by 

 them in marketing under false names. Of course, there are mau}^ 

 reputable growers whose intelligence or whose integrity are above im- 

 peachment by this charge. I believe that I am secure in asserting that 

 no successful apple orchards are found on the sands unless there is clay 

 near the surface. 



Grapes have been grown quite generally but not in very large quant- 

 ity in the county. 



Plums, pears and cherries, seem never to have been planted verj' ex- 

 tensively. 



There are a few successful growers of tomatoes and muskmelons. 

 These crops must be irrigated when grown on sands. Mr. Frank Hile of 

 Norton, regards tomatoes liis leading crop with muskmelons following 

 closely. He i>ractiscs irrigation with success by method of Hooding 

 and predicts that in a few years irrigation will become general here. 



The records of the Horticultural Society show that in 1887 and 1889, 



