250 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



MUSKEGON COUNTY HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



BY H. H. HOLT, SECRETARY. 



The officers of this society elected at the jiniiual meeting ou the 4th day of 

 February are : > 



President — Samuel B. Peck. 



Vice President — James Deau. 



Secretary and Ireasurer — Henry H. Holt. 



Monthly meetings of the society have been held as heretofore, on the first 

 Saturday of each month, and have usually been fairly attended. 



At the meeting in March, John L. Van Pelt, of Lake Harbor, read an inter- 

 estiug and instructive article on the Diseases of the Grape, a copy of which is 

 herewith appended. 



At the May meeting, S. B. Peck read a carefully written article on '' Muske- 

 gon County as a Fruit Growing Locality." 



The society, in connection with the July meeting, made a strawberry and 

 floral display which was well attended and was regarded as a success. At this 

 meeting W. M. Collier read a well prepared essay on Strawberry Culture, which 

 is herewith appended. 



Here it may not be amiss to state that the strawberry crop in this county the 

 past season was a very profitable one, and that a large amount of berries was 

 marketed, aggregating at least $-35,000 worth at Chicago prices, the product of 

 the townships ot Laketon, Lakeside, Muskegon, Norton, and Fruitport, in this 

 county. The amount of land in cultivation is rapidly increasing, and the 

 surety of success more thoroughly demonstrated each year. 



The society gave a very pleasant picnic at Mona Lake on the 9th of Septem- 

 ber, which was very largely attended, on which occasion S. B. Peck read a 

 paper, which was well received, on Grapes and Grape Culture. 



On the 14th of October a display of grapes was made in Holt's museum, 

 which was well attended, and at which a tine display of that fruit was to be 

 seen. 



SKETCH OF MUSKEGON COUNTY. 

 BY H. H, HOLT. 



The soil in the east part of Muskegon county, particularly in Ravenna, Cas- 

 novia, and Holton, is a rich, heavy loam ; in the middle and western parts it is 

 lighter, and, for the most part, rather sandy. 



THE CROPS. 



Wheat, corn, and potatoes can be raised with greater or less success on a 

 large portion of the land in the county; while the raising of vegetables for 

 market has been pursued with good success. 



