THE STATE FAIR— 1873. 201 



yield was 5,000 baskets in 18T1, the same in 1872. Tiiere were but few peaches 

 this year. Though set too closely, the trees looked as though they Avere good 

 for some years yet. 



In Class 15 J. M. Dean, Grand Rapids, wins the diploma against six 

 competitors. 



On account of the extreme cold last winter we w^ere not expecting to see 

 much of interest about Grand Eapids. Mr. J. M. Dean gave us a fast ride of a 

 mile or so north of the town, going up hill, — up all the way till we were on a 

 high plateau, very high for the Southern Peninsula. We had passed many 

 injured trees, but here Ave found a healthy, sound peach orchard, though not 

 bearing this year. There were four acres, nearly 800 trees, and not one miss- 

 ing. They are exposed to a long sweep of wind, without protection from trees. 

 They are four 3'ears old, and last season bore forty-five doHars' worth of fruit — 

 none this year. The soil is a heavy sandy loam, with clay bottom. The varie- 

 ties are in about the following proportion : Hale's Early, 50 ; Early York, 

 100 ; Crawford's Early and Late, each 200 ; Old Mixon, 50 ; Troth's Early, 50 ; 

 Smock, 100, with a feAV other varieties. Omitting some of the Early York and 

 adding Barnard, Hill's Chili, Wheeler's Early, Jacques' Eareripe, the selection 

 Avas thought to be A'erj good. The orchard Avas Avell cultivated till the llrst of 

 August. There was no sign of any insects, not even a trace of peach-borers. 

 Mr. Dean said he had never been able to find any. Mr. Dean also showed a 

 iour-year-old A'ineyard of one acre. Sales this year $350, all at home. 



In this class, one of the committee who visited J. B. Soule, Avrites on his 

 paper, "a wonderfull3'' perfect yearling peach orchard." It grades much 

 higher than do several orchards in other classes which receive the diploma of 

 this society. Tiie same can be said of a three-year-old orchard of Jerry Bridges, 

 of Bangor. It is very hard to beat. There are 600 beautiful healthy trees, 

 with two or three vacancies. They bore ten bushels last year — none this. The 

 competition was close in this class. 



There was but one entry of plum orchards, which is a little surprising to the 

 committee, since plums can be so easily raised in many places. The entry was 

 made by 0. T. Bryant, South Haven, consisting of Bradshaw, Lombard, and 

 YelloAV Egg. He had 50 fine bearinsf dwarf pear trees, Avorthy of honorable 

 mention. They were five years old. 



If any one thinks Ave are making too much of the Van Buren county people^ 

 he must remember that considerable more than a third of the entries were 

 made in that county. This includes all the orchards of peaches, plums, many 

 of the apples, and a majority of the small fruits, with a share of the grapes. 

 This is not as it should be, since we know that many other portions of the 

 State could do equally Avell, did the people only try. 



On Tuesday, September 23d, after the grand State Fair, we resumed our 

 Avork on the orchard, beginning at Kalamazoo. Ic is fair to say that the grapes 

 at South Haven Avere abundant and looked well, but they were not then ripe. 

 At Kalamazoo we found Col. Wheaton's vineyard in fine condition. He had 

 three acres, — two of Concords, one-half acre of Delaware, and one-half acre of 

 Hartford Prolific. The crop he thought Avas injured 33 per cent by the hard 

 winter and this dry summer; still he has on this four-year-old vineyard ten 

 tons of grapes. 



The Colonel's vineyard is on a high elevation. By his method of pruning 

 the grapes are produced at a considerable distance from the roots instead of 

 near the ground. 



36 



