REPORT OF THE ORCHARD COMMITTEE. 127 



portions of this vineyard are sandy, with clay subsoil, but the vines are more 

 vigorous where the soil is clayey. The Delawares here are of prime quality. 



We next visited a vineyard on Snake Island, owned by the same gentleman. 

 This island lies a few rods from the main land, in an arm of the lake. We 

 found a little chaloiipe ready to take us across, and made our way through the 

 grass and lilies which grow up quite thickly. The island is only a few feet 

 above the water, and is surrounded by grassy borders. About this island a 

 variety of the lotus grows quite plentifully, which is very rareJy found in this 

 country. It is the white flowering. 



The island was called Snake Island, from its supposed resemblance in 

 form to the renowned but ngly reptile of that name. It contains ten or 

 twelve acres, of which four acres are in grapes and one acre in pears. The soil 

 is a black loam resting on clay. No lime rock or stone of any kind appears 

 here. The grapes are very sweet. Isabellas are ripe September 26th ; Cataw- 

 bas nearly so. The vines are trained to stakes, and they have made a most 

 vigorous growth. The leaves are enormous in size, and for healthful appear- 

 ance they are not equaled by any which the committee have seen in their ex- 

 aminations. Some of the Catawbas, received by members of the committee 

 a week later than the date of their visit, were fully ripe, and were equal in color, 

 flavor, and aroma to the Catawbas of Kelly's Island. 



Before leaving the island an important occurrence took place, which, as a 

 matter of history, may as well be recorded here. The name of the island was 

 formally changed to *' Bruckner's Lotos Island," by your committee and a few 

 of the citizens and ladies of Monroe. There is no longer a Snake Island in 

 Michigan, but there is a " Lotos Island," lying quietly in view of the city of 

 Monroe in the still waters of an arm of Lake Erie, covered with fine fruit of 

 vine and tree and surrounded by the fabled lotos of the Nile and of Cashmere. 



Point aiix Peaux. 



A ride of an hour and a half brought us to this celebrated vineyard, which 

 was thoroughly examined by the orchard committee of 1873. It lies near the 

 mouth of Detroit river, and in sight of the pier at Monroe Harbor. The 

 ground is level here and all about. In no place else can there be found so 

 much quiet repose as nature exhibits in this shore belt from Toledo to Detroit. 

 There is no sign of upheaval anywhere, or of the action of any violent forces 

 beneath the surface. But the soil is strong and productive, and there is slant 

 -enough one way or another for drainage. 



The Point aux Peaux vineyard is owned by Messrs. Stirling, Noble, Wil- 

 liams and Ives. There are twelve acres in vines ; and they lie fronting the 

 shore, with the buildings, a grass plat, and a drive between them and the water. 

 In this grass fruit trees are growing — some very old, large peach trees in full 

 vigor. In the spring of 1866, 900 each of Catawba, Delaware, and Concord 

 vines were planted. The rows are the usual width apart, and the vines are 

 grown on a horizontal trellis of wire put up in the usual way. The lower wire 

 is twenty-two inches from the ground, the others are sixteen inches apart. 

 The vines are penned after the leaves have fallen, and laid down, and the ground 

 backfurrowed towards the rows. In the spring they are taken up and fasten- 

 ed to the lower wire. A short bend is given them at the point where they are 

 first tied, which checks the rapid flow of sap, and aids the formation of fruit 

 germs. No summer pruning is done at all; the vines are kept neatly tied to 

 the trellis, and all the foliage is retained to assist in the perfection of the 



