A KENT COUNTY PEACH ORCHARD AND 



GRAPERY. 



Mr. Albert Baxter, editor of the Grand Kapids Eagle, furnishes the following 

 to that paper respecting a small peach orchard and vineyard which, as he says, 

 after the havoc played with the tender fruits by the " hard winter,"' is a rich 

 feast for the eye to look upon. It belongs to Josiah M. Dean, and was eatered 

 for competition at the State Fair, — " peach orchard with succession," and " vine- 

 yard for table use." It is really worth the trouble for any lover of fruit and 

 admirer of good culture, to walk all the way from the city to look at that 

 orchard. It is located in Grand Rapids town, on the farm of E. N". Knapp : 



"Yesterday, Sept. 24, the Orchard Committee of the State Pomological 

 Society visited Mr. Dean's orchard for examination. He has five acres of peach 

 trees, three years from setting on four acres, the rest a year younger. They 

 are set in blocks of 36 trees each, trees twelve feet apart, and alleys sixteen feet 

 wide between the blocks. The reader may easily calculate the number of trees 

 on five acres. The principal varieties in succession, according to the order of 

 ripening, are : Hale's Early, 50 ; Early York, 100 ; Crawford Early and Late, 

 each, 200; Old Mixon, 50 ; Troth's Early, 50 ; Smock, 100; with a few of 

 other varieties. The soil is a clay loam, with a slight admixture of sand. 



" The location is quite elevated, apparently considerably higher than the 

 high grounds in the city ; with a southerly exposure, sloping considerably, but 

 not steep enough to wash badly. It has no woods protection, and the only pro- 

 tection on the north and northeast is the higher elevation of the grounds, with 

 adjoining apple orchards in those directions. This description of location, soil 

 and exposure will also apply to the vineyard, with the additional remark that 

 the acre of grapes is near the south and lower side of the plat. 



" The peach trees are as handsome a lot as we ever saw. The stalks are clean 

 and smooth, about four or four and a half feet, average, to the limbs ; the tops; 

 are trimmed to comely shape and thickness, the foliage dark green and beautiful 

 and there is no indication now of any injury by the severe weather of last 

 winter. Mr. Dean stated that the new growth was killed back a little from the 

 tips, in spots, but in pruning all the dead twigs Avere removed, and a fine 

 growth has been made this season. Pruning Avas done in June and July. The 

 field was well cultivated till the first of August, and the trees are apparently 

 in excellent condition for winter. They are remarkably thrifty, with strong 

 stocks, so large in fact as to suggest that they may have grown too fast, but 

 the test of last winter seems to settle that. Another remarkable fact, and we 

 might say phenomenon, is their absolute freedom from the ravages of the peach 

 worm or borer. Not a sign of the insect is visible, and Mr. Dean says he has 

 never seen one upon the grounds, nor in any other peach orchard in that par- 

 ticular locality, of which there are several. This entire exemption from that 



