A GRAND TRAVERSE FRUIT FARM. 



JUDGE J. G. EAMSDELUS PLA^'TATIOX AS SEEN BY T. T. LYON. 



The residence upon this plantation is situated about forty or fiftv rods from 

 the shore of the west arm of the Grand Traverse Bay. at an elevation above it 

 of about fifty feet. From the dwelling wesrward the ground rises quite rap- 

 idly ; reaching, at a distance of probably eighty rods, a bight of about three 

 hoDdred and fifty feet above the water of the bay ; the slope facing nearly 

 -eastward. 



The land was originally timbered with a heavy growth of maple, beech, 

 fasfflwood, etc., with an occasional hemlock : and. like much of the land in this 

 r^on, is of so porous a character that the rainfall, no matter how copious, is 

 so readily absorbed that no trouble is experienced from washing or gullying 

 upon the slopes, and yet it is said to withstand drought unusually well. It 

 certainly produces a very vigorous and healthy growth upon snch trees and 

 plants as we saw growing npon it. 



It is not unworthy of remark, here the snon" during the winter is said to 

 lie from one to two feet deeper, as a rule, than upon the more opened and 

 exposed grounds of the peninsula; thus burying the smaller classes of plants 

 quite out of harm's way. The effectiveness of this covering was demonstrated 

 to us in the healthy, vigorous growths, not only of currants, gooseberries, and 

 black cape, aU of which were bearing fine crops, but more convincingly in the 

 strong, healthy canes and immense crops of fruit upon the more tender rasp- 

 bernrs. i^ii 5 Priiladelphia, Clarke, General Grant, and even Brincklc's 

 Oraiir ; ~ :['.': ;: :^r ^-ra treeasDowning's Everbearing Mulberry, which must 

 havr :: : 1 -„ -. "i: :ae snowline, and hence been subjected to a temperature 

 18 degrees below scero, demonstrates its immunity by a vigorous growth and 

 the production of a fine crop of fruit. 



Jndge Bamsdell has occupied this place for about fifteen years, and, as we 

 anderstand, selected it with reference mainly to the growth of fruit. At so 

 «arly a date, little had been determined as to the capacity of the region for such 

 a purpose, except that the immense crops of whortleberries, raspberries and 

 blackberries, growing in the wild state, may be supposed to have pretty strongly 

 indicated the probabilities of the case. 



With reference, doubtlt-53, to this lack of local experience, the earlier plant- 

 ing here seems to have been largely for trial, and hence, very naturally, it has 

 involved the planting of a considerable range of varieties to be t«eted in vari- 

 ous soils and aspects. 

 As stated in a previous article, a plat of peaches was planted at the foot of 



