ORCHARDS AND VINEYARDS OF 



MICHIGAN. 



NUMBER ONE 



BY S. Q. LENT. 



It is very difiScult to obtain a committee of competent men to view the 

 orchards, vineyards, and nnrseries of the State, who are willing to spend two or 

 three weeks of time in a hurrying season, and incur the necessary expense, 

 without hope of any compensation save the satisfaction of having accomplished 

 a duty. Of the appointed committee but three were able to do work, and the 

 vacancies were filled by appointment. They now stand as follows : Prof. 

 Beal, Chairman, Lansing ; Wm. H. Gregory, Pine Grove ; Chas. N. Merriraan, 

 Grand Eapids ; N. Ohilson, Battle Creek; M. L. McClave, Benton Harbor; 

 Chas. W. Garfield, Grand Eapids. Owing to the pomological work to be 

 accomplished in connection with the State Fair, and the positive necessity 

 that several members have the previous week to prepare for it and perform 

 other duties, it was decided to view the South Haven entries, then drop the 

 matter until the week succeeding the fair, when the following route has been 

 decided upon as the best : The committee will meet in Kalamazoo, attend the 

 entries there ; then proceed to Battle Creek, Pine Grove, Grand Haven, Fruit- 

 port, Grand Eapids, Lowell, Monroe, and Kalamo, probably leaving Grand 

 Traverse until the October meeting. This will give close connections and 

 insure rapid and consecutive work. 



We started from South Haven village at 3 o'clock Thursday P. M., and this 

 Friday night we count up twenty entries visited, viewed, and graded. 



The committee have adopted a regular system of grading, so that each indi- 

 vidual passes upon each orchard without advising with the other members. 

 The average result of all the decisions establishes the standing of an individual 

 entry. The points may be briefly stated : 



First. — Soil. This includes quality, depth, drainage, and texture, taking 

 also into account the subsoil and method of drainage. 



Second. — Protection, which looks at wind-breaks, open lake elevation, and 

 exposure generally. 



Third. — Market. Atiected by the fact of home consumption being sufficient 

 to consume the product, and the distance to place of sale ; if shipped, the advan- 

 tages of shipping quickly, prices of transportation and regularity of the times 

 when shipments can be made. 



Fourth. — Variety and arrangement, combining the selection of sorts adapted 

 to the wants of market and a close succession of fruit, without a flood of differ- 



