134 STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



berry showed the masterly hand of a successful horticulturist, nor were the 

 pear, the peach, or apple orchards lacking in the essentials requisite to ensure 

 success. The flower garden was a gem in itself, as might have been expected 

 in the careful hands of such a passionate admirer as Mrs. Brown, whom we 

 regretted to find absent. Mr. Brown returned in time to spread before us the 

 hospitable board of cake and wine, for which his house has ever been noted, 

 and we spent a few moments in horticultural converse. 



From Chilson's our route was to Bellevue by rail and eight miles due north 

 by wagon to Joseph Gridley's in Kalamo, Eaton county. Mr. Gridley had 

 three orchards on the list, one planted ten or more years, of twent3'-five or more 

 trees, and a peach orchard in class 10. These were the orchards entered last 

 year, and nothing particularly new or interesting beyond the report of the 

 committee at that time seems to have been developed since. Mr. Gridley ac- 

 knowledged to have been mistaken in the Ben Davis apple, of which he gave 

 the public an account through the horticultural press some time since, — the 

 variety not proving to be the Ben Davis. An early start in the morning and a 

 ride through a rolling country of timbered soil which must ere long be 

 planted largely to orchards, and especially the apple, for which this section of 

 country is most surely adapted, brought us to Charlotte, the county seat ot 

 Eaton county, in time for the Jackson bound train over the Grand Kiver Val- 

 ley Eailroad, reaching Jackson at 11 A. M. 



THE COMMITTEE AT JACKSOX. — GROUNDS AND HOUSES OF S. 0. KNAPP. 



A walk of a few minutes brought us to the fine residence and magnificent 

 grounds of S. 0. Knapp, Esq., who had an entry in class 33, " Suburban Orna- 

 mental Grounds," and in class 38, " Collection of GroAving Hardy Flowering 

 Plants," and one in class 39, " Private Plant House." These charming grounds 

 were found to comprise about five acres, occupying an elevated and command- 

 ing position in the south-east portion of the city. They are enclosed on two 

 sides by a wall of solid masonry over sixty-five rods in extent, and elevated 

 above the street about five feet, the enclosed grounds being level with the top 

 of the wall and caused by grading down the street. You enter the grounds by 

 an iron gate, and up a flight of stone steps. The first attraction on entering 

 these grounds on that dry, hot, and dusty September day, were several foun- 

 tains in full play. They are supplied with water by the Holly water-works of 

 the city, which have been indispensable to the luxuriant growth and unsur- 

 passing verdure of the trees and plants throughout this season of excessive 

 drouth. We were met at the door by Mr. Knapp, and stated to him that our 

 time was limited, as we desired to reach Adrian that evening. We were first 

 shown the plant houses (there are properly two) attached to the dwelling, and 

 sunken below the surface sufficient to bring the bottom on a level with the 

 house cellar, with which they communicate by doors opening into a small room 

 partitioned from the main cellar. This room is used for potting plants, storing 

 mould, sand, and tools used in the management of the house and plants. A 

 quantity of the finest leaf mould and sand was noticed stored here in bins, 

 ready for use at any moment. The houses occupy the south and east sides of 

 the dwelling, the one on the south lapping by sufficient to cover the end of the 

 other. A ventilating shutter connects the two at this point. They are single 

 span or lean-to roofs, about 400 feet of glass in all, double-glazed. The heat- 

 ing apparatus is Hitching's saddle boiler, of small size. The whole structure, 

 heating apparatus and all complete, cost not more than $400. The houses 



