222 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



brought from Genesee county, New York, a stock of apple, pear, plum, peach, 

 cherry, grape, etc. ; they were planted on the farm of S. G. Schofield, south 

 of the city of Lansing. In 1857 they were removed to grounds owned by him 

 near the Cedar street bridge, where the stock was increased to 75,000 in all. 

 The trees grew well, and were distributed in Eaton, Clinton, Gratiot and 

 Ingham counties. In 18G2 the stock was closed out and business suspended. 

 In the year 1869 Geo. W. Parks planted a general variety of fruit and 

 ornamental trees in the city of Lansing, known as the Lansing Nursery. It 

 was kept up in successful operation until 1873, at which time the Michigan 

 Southern railway company surveyed a railroad diagonally through the blocks, 

 making it necessary to remove it to its present location, one mile south from 

 Cedar street bridge, where it carries a stock of 75,000 trees, and occupies ten 

 acres of land. 



The first fruit exported from this county was in 1841, by Robert G. Hayward. 

 There was no great amount of fruit exported from Ingham county until 1873, 

 as the first trees set out were nearly all native sorts, and were not very 

 merchantable. From 1860 to the present time orchardists have been changing 

 their apple orchards by ingrafting market kinds into native tops, which can 

 be done in three years with trifling expense, if properly understood. This is 

 constantly increasing the supply of market winter apples, which promise a 

 large surplus of first-class winter apples for shipment in the near future. It 

 will be observed that the oldest trees planted were native kinds ; they were 

 subsequently ingrafted in the body or top. From observation and experience 

 I am inclined to believe that the native stalk is the most desirable for many of 

 our tender kinds of apples. I will name the Ehode Island Greening, Koxbury 

 Kusset, and Baldwin, that will grow better on the body of some native or 

 hardy improved stocks like Northern Spy. All the leading varieties of apples, 

 pears, plums, cherries, currants, peaches, grapes and small fruits grow in this 

 county when properly cared for. 



The year 1879 was an unusually dry season. Fruits of all kinds were 

 effected by drought. The size and quality were diminished, as well as the 

 yield. The apples were very nearly all injured by the codling moth, as it was 

 difficult to find one but what was worm pierced, even on plates at exhibitions 

 of fruit. The year 1880 will long be remembered in this county as an excep- 

 tionally fruitful season. The strawberry first was a success, followed by the 

 black caps and red raspberry, cherries, currants, blackberry, peaches, plums, 

 and apples bringing up the rear part of the season. We can safely say that 

 1880 has produced more fruit of all kinds, except grapes, than ever before in 

 one season. I will here state that the year 1880 has been an unusually wet 

 season, and the fruit has been of unusually good quality and remarkably free 

 from the ravages of insects. 



My first visit to central Michigan was in 1848. Having lived in a well devel- 

 oped fruit country, and having an eye and taste for fruit, my first inquiry was, 

 can fruit be successfully grown here? While some answered in the negative, 

 others answered in the affirmative. It seemed to be a problem to be solved in 

 the future. It is indeed wonderful to see what 32 years of hard work and 

 careful husbandry has done for central Michigan to develop its fruit and agri- 

 cultural resources. When we look back to our first experiences in this county 

 and take in the prospects of fruit raising for the future, it looked very dubious 

 to an eastern man. The scattering orchards were nearly all native sorts, poor 

 and small. The peach grew in great abundance when trees were planted, but 

 were grown from pits. 



