THE STATE FAIR -1873. 199' 



from Minnesota, Iowa, Illinois, and elsewhere. I have never sold a bushel of 

 number one apples for less than a dollar. Nearly every order called for red 

 apples. I had one order for Wageners, two for Spitzenbergs, and not one for 

 Swaar ; but all wanted Baldwins, Spys, and Greenings. The Baldwin lias one 

 fault. Those exposed to the sun have bitter, dry, rotten specks under the skin. 

 The Stark, I think, avIH be the leading winter variety. The Lawyer is first- 

 rate. My fall apples sold for the same price as my winter apples." 



Some of the reasons for Mr. Bailey's success seem to be a good strong soil, 

 thorough culture, plenty of manure with crops which prevent too rank growth, 

 trimming to let in the light, fighting insects, and good neighbors who do like- 

 wise. With all the rest, we must note the health and fruitfulness of his trees. 

 Shall we not attribute a part of this to the mode of grafting in the top ? We 

 have something yet to learn. We are not by any means sure that any of us 

 yet know the best mode of propagating apples. 



Mr. Bailey's place is seventy-three feet above the lake and one mile back. 

 The coldest time observed last winter was sixteen degrees below zero. Some 

 fault was found with the varieties and arrangement in this orchard. 



Not far away Avas another apple orchard, entered in class three by W. H. 

 Hurlbiirt. Some of his trees, seven to ten years old, had been cultivated for a 

 few years, then seeded down. A large pile of sawdust was placed a foot deep 

 about each tree. The owner had seeded this orchard to remain so, as he was 

 fully satisfied this is the best way. The best orchard he ever saw was seeded to 

 grass and his should be also. The trees were making a slow growth, not bear- 

 ing very well, and had leaves of a yellow, sickly color. If the committee judged 

 rightly, this orchard, as now treated, will soon be stunted. 



We saw some orchards of various ages up to 12 or 15 years, which were seeded 

 down to clover or grasses. We saw none which had been seeded for the last 

 three years which looked well or bore well. 



Whether it is better to leave grass or to leave no grass growing in an orchard 

 can be very easily determined by noticing the good or bad color of leaves, the 

 yield and quality of fruit, and the length of the upper twigs, which ought to 

 be eight to fourteen inches long, if doing well. It is some like judging whether 

 sheep are doing well or not. To determine this point, look at the sheep and 

 not at the pasture ; as long as they are plump and fat they are all right. 



In a snow storm of November 26, a part of us visited Joseph Gridley of 

 Kalamo, in the western part of Eaton county. This farm is on a slight eleva- 

 tion, with forests not far off to the southwest and northwest. The soil is dark 

 gravelly loam, — a strong soil, much like that called Burr Oak land. Last winter 

 the thermometer was only seen at 20 degrees below zero. After studying the 

 markets east, west, and south, and after observing what trees do best in his 

 neighborhood, he planted, in the spring of 1862, about 1,500 two-years-old apple 

 trees of the following varieties : 400 Ben. Davis, 300 Baldwin, 300 Eed Canada, 

 300 Wagener, 100 Grimes' Golden, 100 of several others, as Wine Sap, Prior's Eed 

 Russet, Dutchess of Oldenburg. They were set in a wheat field, and we scarce 

 need say made but little growth the first. year. This season, when the land was 

 planted to corn, the trees did better. Quite a number, perhaps two-fifths of the 

 trees, were injured, some of them killed. The trees were set 20 feet apart in 

 true quincunx order, each at an equal distance from six others. This spring 

 he selected 160 Red Canada from Bragg's nursery, Kalamazoo, and set them 

 well. Nearly all died this summer. - Mr. Gridley told the committee that he 



