SAUGATUCK AND GANGES: 

 THE FRUIT REGION OF THE KALAMAZOO. 



A REPORT TO THE STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY FOR 1874, BY HENRY 



S. CLUBB. 



The development of those localities in Michigan adapted to the cultivation 

 of the choice fruits of the temperate zone is of such vast importance to the 

 interests of our State that I deem no apology necessary for presenting a de- 

 scription of the fruit region near the mouth of the Kalamazoo river as one of 

 great promise. 



UNBIASED DESCKIPTIOX. 



Not being either a resident or owner of land in this region, and having inter- 

 ests in a fruit region thirty miles north of the Kalamazoo, I trust I shall be 

 enabled to give a disinterested description, — one vphich shall not subject me to 

 the charge of partiality on account of those interests. I would that fruit men 

 generally should take an honest pride in localities possessing merits regardless 

 of their own pecuniary or property interests. Every locality should be viewed 

 on its own merits, without regard to other locations. 



EACH REGION- WORTHY OF SEPARATE STUDY. 



In a somewhat extensive examination and careful inspection of the localities 

 along the east shore of Lake Michigan, I have arrived at the conclusion that 

 each location is entitled to credit for advantages peculiar to itself, and any 

 account of the fruit regions of Michigan which should characterize all from an 

 inspection of one or two, would fall far short of doing justice to the subject or 

 to the regions indicated. "While there are undoubtedly advantages common to 

 all the lake shore harbors and their surroundings, there yet are peculiar fea- 

 tures connected with each which no general description can reach. Every 

 locality is a study by itself, and should be separately considered. 



A GOOD HARBOR ESSENTIAL. 



With all the separate regions of the lake shore, a harbor connecting the local- 

 ity with Lake Michigan is the central point of attraction. Proximity to a good 

 harbor has more to do in determining the value of a location for a fruit farm 

 than any other one consideration. As the practice of drying fruit for market 

 on an extensive scale shall become general, this feature may lose some of its 

 importance, although drying factories are now, for the most part, located well 



