94 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Brief congratulatory remarks were also made by Mr. Roland Morrill 

 of Benton Harbor and Prof. R. L. Taft of the Agricultural college. 

 Then after another song the following paper was read by Mr. N. Atwell 

 of Lawton: 



HORTICULTURE AT LAWTON. 



Peach trees were grown in this vicinity from the time of its first settle- 

 ment. The first peach orchard for market, at Lawton, was set by Mr. N. 

 H. and Dr. E. Bitely in 1858. It contained 500 trees of choice varieties 

 and occupied the high ground near where Mr. Frank Bitely's house now 

 stands. This orchard bore many fine crops of fruit, and continued in 

 profitable bearing for nearly twenty years, until destroyed by hard winters 

 and yellows. But few peach orchards were set out for several years. 

 These proving profitable induced other settings. In 1875 the acreage of 

 peach orchards was largely increased, and for several years many peach 

 trees were set each year. In 1880 about 100,000 baskets of peaches were 

 shipped from Lawton. Yellows appeared and soon wrought serious injury^ 

 and in many cases total ruin, to the peach orchards, and discouragement 

 to their owners. Since then destruction of diseased trees has seemed to 

 hold the disease in check, and at the present time some fine young peach 

 orchards are growing and others are being set out from year to year. A 

 large portion of our peach crop is sold to buyers who come with teams 

 from neighboring towns, the counties south of us, and from Indiana. 



Growing raspberries formed a large part of the fruit industry of Lawton 

 for some years, and several carloads were shipped daily during the season, 

 and also considerable quantities were evaporated. 



A few of our growers still continue to raise raspberries and derive a 

 considerable portion of their income from this fruit, but the acreage is 

 very much less than it was a few years ago. This fruit has seemed to give 

 way to grapes, for which our soil and location are especially well adapted. 



About the year 1865, Mr. N. H. and Dr. E. Bitely, in company with 

 Messrs. C. D. and G. W. Lawton, were extensively engaged in the nursery 

 business and obtained a quantity of grape cuttings and roots from Geneva, 

 N. Y., mostly Concords and Delawares. From this nursery originated the 

 first vineyards at Lawton. Mr. A. B. Jones is the pioneer grape-grower, 

 and was the first to ship grapes from Lawton. His first vines were set 

 about twenty-six years ago and are still in bearing. For several years the 

 vineyards of Mr. Jones, the Bitelys, and the Lawtons were the only ones 

 at Lawton; but, these proving profitable, the business was extended and 

 enlarged until it has reached its present rather large proportions. The 

 greatest increase in the acreage has come within the past ten years. The 

 shipments of this fruit have increased from a small quantity of fruit to 

 nearly 3,000 tons the past year, from eight to fourteen cars being loaded 

 with grapes daily during the shipping season. 



The leading varieties grown are Concord, Delaware, Niagara, and Wor- 

 den. As yet the Concord is the only variety that meets with a ready sale 

 in carload lots. 



Our grape-growers meet with many obstacles and discouragements, the 

 most prominent being insect enemies of the vine and bud. The climbing 

 cutworm proves very destructive to the buds in the springtime, and in 

 some instances has ruined the prospect of a crop. Many remedies and 



