82 STATE BOAED OF AGKICULTUKE, 



be laudable, in view of the general interest, farmers should rely mainly on crops 

 which the experience of the past proves to be as sure as ordinary farm crops. 



Introduction of Exotic Fruits. 



Tlie first planting of fruit-trees by man, of which we have any record, 

 appears to have occurred about the year 1705, as in 1805 there still stood and 

 flourished a pear-tree near the Detroit river which was then said to be 100 j'ears 

 old. From this tree Francis Kavarre transplanted two sprouts, which grew to 

 be productive trees. The belief is that the pear was originally imported from 

 France, and it is reported that three pear-seeds originated the celebrated old 

 pear-trees along the banks of the Detroit river, and that these seeds were brought 

 over by a French immigrant in his vest pocket. But, however the introduction 

 of foreign fruits commenced, it is most probable that the early French traders 

 and missionaries imported them and planted them at their various trading-jDosts 

 and missionary stations aloug tlie Detroit river, at Monroe, at Old Mission, 

 New Mission, and other points in the Grand Traverse region, and at Mackinaw. 

 Not only pears, but apjjles still flourish at these points, and, although but little 

 cultivated, these trees are still productive ; and when taken in hand by skillful 

 cultivators, as is usually the case, their youth has been renewed and they have 

 become profitable trees. Many of these trees were planted during the last cen- 

 tury. Both the apple and pear-trees are healthy, and still bear from thirty to 

 fifty bushels in a season. They appear to be as hardy as the forest trees, and 

 have become thoroughly acclimated. 



Early Orchard Planting. 



The first extensive orchard was probably that planted by Governor Wm. 

 Woodbridge, consisting of two thousand apple and pear-trees. It was on his 

 farm west of Detroit, and now absorbed by that rapidly growing city. Those 

 trees were planted in 1835, so that orchard planting in Michigan may be said 

 already to have attained to the dignity of half a century, although the largest 

 portion of it has been done within the past 20 or 25 years. Orchard planting, 

 as a part of the agriculture of Michigan, has been more or less pursued ever 

 since the time of Governor Woodbridge. Almost every farmer who could pay 

 for or get trusted with fruit-trees, has planted an orchard ; and in many cases 

 when the time has come around to pay off the last installment of tlie farm 

 mortgage, the sale of fruit from the orchard has been the source from whence 

 the money was obtained. While this has been the case generally throughout 

 the State, that farmers have made fruit-growing simply an incidental feature of 

 their agricultural operations, and usually subordinate to their general farming, 

 there are counties in the State that, owing to their peculiar fitness for the busi- 

 ness, nave made fruit-growing a specialt}-, and in some a leading feature. 



AjjjjUs a Specialty. 



The production of apples in Michigan has been a special feature in the coun- 

 ties of Oakland, Lenawee, Jackson, Hillsdale, Branch, Calhoun, Macomb, 

 Livmgston, Washtenaw, Wayne, Van Buren, Shiav;assee, ^donroe, Lapeer, 

 Kent, Ionia, Ingham, Genesee, Eaton, Berrien, Kalamazoo, and Allegan, as 

 the orchards in those counties, many of which were planted thirty, and some 

 forty years ago, are now in good bearing condition. There are other counties 

 rapidly coming into prominence as apple-growing counties, among the most 

 promising of which is probably the county of Grand Traverse, where apples have 



