HISTORY OF MICHIGAN HORTICULTURE. 235 



the spring of 1850. From this time settlers came in and cleared np their farms 

 and set out trees of all kinds, but the wild or natural fruits were so plenty 

 along the river banks that settlers were negligent about setting out fruit trees 

 at first. No nurseries have been established within the limits of the county, 

 and none of the trees have been imported from that hot bed of nurseries, 

 Rochester, N. Y. The tree peddler has enjoyed the full scope of the country, 

 and has scooped and humbugged the people as he pleased, with no one to inter- 

 fere, and among the special vanities and one of the largest humbugs ever 

 imposed upon the public was the introduction of the California grapes. They 

 are very prolific and nearly everybody has them. They are red, white and 

 black, and get ripe at all seasons, and some do not get ripe at all. The fruit 

 interest has not been a very prominent one in this county until within a few 

 years. Salt and lumber predominating, every other interest had to succumb 

 and give way to those. 



But when the panic of 1873 came, people began to see that agriculture was 

 the basis of our whole system, and horticulture, being a part of that system, 

 began to look up. As the settler cleared off his place and made a place for 

 his buildings, he began to think of his fruit. He could go into the neighbor- 

 ing fields and pick berries of all kinds, but apples, peaches, pears and grapes 

 did not grow spontaneously, and for those he would have to wait. Peach 

 stones, plum stones and grape seeds were planted and trees were grown, aud it 

 would be strange if soon new varieties were not propagated which are worthy 

 of a place in the great catalogue with which we are blest or cursed as the case 

 may be, but as far as we have been able to learn, none have been originated 

 which have been disseminated outside of the county, although we have several 

 very promising varieties. Until within a few years Saginaw has imported 

 nearly all the fruit that was consumed, and at the present time more fruit is 

 consumed in the two cities than is raised within the county, but if we are any 

 prophets, this state of things will not last many years longer. The Saginaws 

 have the reputation of being one of the best fruit markets in the State, con- 

 suming a large amount and producing, it might be said, none. The interest 

 in connection with agriculture is now developing very fast, and the time is not 

 far distant when fruit of all kinds will be exported in large quantities, both 

 green and evaporated, and as the interest grows, horticultural societies will be 

 formed, where people can meet, discuss and learn how to grow two apples or 

 grapes where one is now grown, and how to destroy two or more insects where 

 one is now destroyed. But in a section where one or two interests predominate 

 they destroy all others. Along the banks of the several rivers, the Saginaw 

 and its tributaries, grapes, plums and all kinds of berries have grown in lux- 

 uriance and abundance, and even at this date in many neglected and desolate 

 places these can be found. All the native nuts can be found in abundance. 

 These are indigenous to this climate, showing conclusively that for raising 

 choice fruit of any kind that will grow in this climate, Saginaw cannot be 

 excelled by any part of the State, and this State certainly cannot be excelled 

 by any State in the Union, as has been fully demonstrated on several occasions, 

 and at several national exhibits. 



THE OLD INDIAN APPLE TEEES. 



Eobert Ure has kindly furnished the following concerning the Indian apple 

 trees of Saginaw county : 



The seeker in the pomological and horticultural history of Saginaw county 

 will find an extensive field before him, as he enters its undefined limits aud 



