ORCHARDS AND VINEYARDS OF MICHIGAN. 313 



MONROE. 



It is desirable that this report be quite abridged, and it is impossible to do 

 justice to the large vineyard interest of Monroe. The members of the com- 

 mittee were astonished at the perfect system of culture that obtains in this 

 locality, as well as the universally prolific yield of fruit. 



Mr. George Bruckner piloted us through four of his vineyards. The Henri- 

 etta is a model in its class. The pruning was nearly in accordance with our 

 ideal, the cultivation prime, but better than all, the quality of the Concord 

 grapes exceeded everything we have yet tested. 



J. M. Sterling and his sou both entered vineyards, and among them all it 

 would have been a very difficult task to decide as to their relative value had 

 not the Society deftly arranged the matter in divers classes so that all do not 

 come in the same competition. 



A fine apple orchard entered by J. M. Sterling is worthy of abundant men- 

 tion as illustrative of the truth that these people make grapes a specialty 

 rather than apples. The orchard contained many valuable varieties. The 

 trees were tolerably healthy; but in its general aspect, productiveness, etc., it 

 did not exhibit the especial care that is given to apple orchards elsewhere. 



The Detroit "Wine Comppny have a fine show of grapes, but the vineyard 

 scarcely exhibits the health of last year. But the Pointe Aux Peaux Wine 

 Company eclipses everything. Under the guidance of Mr. Sterling we were 

 conveyed to a little grape Eden. The committee, after passing and re-passing 

 through the different portions of the grape field, held an impromptu meeting 

 to compare notes. Each member handed in the ideal standard to the chair- 

 man, saying, "Here are our marks upon this entry." It indeed seemed quite 

 perfection in every particular. Perhaps the most surprising thing that met us 

 was the fact that here we found multitudes of Catawba vines, which were upon 

 the trellis during the severe winter, all in fine bearing and apparently unin- 

 jured. We feel like congratulating this company in the most earnest language 

 upon their wonderful success. 



The committee left Monroe in the utmost good humor, each individual 

 carrying on his arm a basket of luscious Henrietta grapes, and in everyone 

 there was a Benjamin's portion in the shape of a bottle of Bruckner's best. 



On my way home I visited the premises of N. & C. Chilson, in Battle Creek. 

 A fine Delaware vineyard which they entered was modestly withdrawn on 

 account of Mr. Chilson's apj)ointment on our committee. I examined the 

 pruning and tested the grapes, and must confess that the appearance of the 

 vines and flavor of the fruit would rank well even along with the Monroe com- 

 petitors. Here I found the finest display of evergreens in the State; but I will 

 leave this and the nurseries for another article, which will close the series. 



NUMBER FOUR-NURSERIES. 

 KALAMAZOO. 



About the first work accomplished by the orchard committee after the State 

 Fair was to visit the nursery of L. G. Bragg & Co., at Kalamazoo. Your hum- 

 ble correspondent felt a keen interest in the examination of Michigan nursery 

 stock, having had a bit of experience in the damaging effects of the severe 

 winter upon a few blocks of growing trees. We found the proprietors aa 



