AMONG THE ORCHARDS AND VINEYARDS. 143 



AT IONIA. 



From Monroe our next entry was that of N. E. Smith of Ionia, 150 miles 

 distant. Our route was by the Flint and Pere Marquette R. E. throughout the 

 counties of Monroe, AVayne, and Oakland to Holly, and thence by the D. & M. 

 R. E. through the counties of Genesee, Shiawassee, Clinton, and Ionia, to Ionia 

 city. At Holly we were obliged to wait several hours for a train in the direc- 

 tion of Ionia, and learning of a large apple orchard some two miles north of 

 the village we concluded to pay it a visit. A brisk walk of thirty minutes 

 brought us to George Pearson's, who, on putting in an appearance, eyed us 

 somewhat suspiciously, — taking us, evidently, for a trio of shai"pers: Avery no 

 doubt filling the bill of the life insurance man, and Betts the book peddler, — 

 but on assuring him we had no design on him, simply wished to see his or- 

 chard for the benefit of the State Pomological Society, we were heartily wel- 

 comed. The orchard contained twenty acres, planted nine years, mostly to 

 the Baldwin ; on quite an elevation sloping to the east ; soil heavy clay mixed 

 with gravel ; a good soil for the apple. Many of the trees had suffered severely 

 from the effects of the severe Avinter of a year and a half ago. Mr. Pearson 

 would not set root-grafted Baldwins again ; would plant the Northern Spy 

 and top graft; the Baldwin fails always in the trunk of the tree; nor would 

 he plant Greening, Fall Pippin, Spitzenburgh, or Golden Russet; the first is 

 too tender, the Pippin and Spitzenburgh are poor bearers, and the Eusset is un- 

 saleable. 



At Ionia we parted company with our chairman, Mr. Betts, with many re- 

 grets. His amiable disposition, his cheerful countenance, his close observations 

 and practical suggestions, were qualities we could ill dispense Avifch. Pressing 

 business engagements demanded his presence at home, and Mr. Avery and my- 

 self were obliged to finish the work at Ionia, when it was thought advisable to 

 adjourn until the following week. At this place we arrived in time for a break- 

 fast with Mr. X. E. Smith, who had an apple orchard, a Concord and a Dela- 

 ware vineyard entered. The apple orchard had been set fifteen years on a 

 heavy opening soil, two hundred feet above the Grand river, and distant about 

 one mile. This was Avithout exception the best apple orchard on our list of 

 entries. Most of our standard varieties in cultivation in this State Avere found 

 in this orchard, and all, without exception, in the greatest perfection. Mr. 

 Smith had well cultivated the ground this year, and sown to turnips, which 

 were a failure in consequence of the drouth. ISTo orchards throughout the 

 ength of our travels exhibited such perfect health as this, and the trees, for 

 the time planted, were of prodigious size. The crop of fruit was enormous, and 

 the finest specimens of Northern Spy, Baldwin, Greening, Fall Pippin, Talman 

 Sweet, and in fact all the varieties in this orchard were of great size, and re- 

 markably free from blemish of any kind ; hardly a specimen could be found 

 injured by the codling moth. Mr. Smith attributes the freedom from injury ' 

 by the codling moth to cultivation. Before he commenced cultivating his or- 

 chard annuallv he lost one-half bv codling moths. This orchard is in a very 

 exposed situation ; nothing to break the force of the Avinds from the south and 

 west or the north, for a long distance at least. It was suggested that some 

 protection would be advantageous, when Mr. Smith remarked that he would 

 not have any if it could be furnished for nothing fifty feet high. Mr. Smith's 

 vineyards ranked very high in the scale of comparison, and especially the Con- 

 .cord. The renewal, or long-cane system, which is adopted at this place for 



