THE MONROE COUNTY VINEYARDS. 



BY THE EDITOR OF THE MONROE COMMERCIAL. 



The committee of the State Pomological Society for examining orchards, 

 nurseries, and vineyards, visited Monroe on Friday last, and spent Friday and 

 Saturday examining the nurseries and vineyards in this locality, entered for 

 premiums. The committee is composed of Prof. W. J. Beal, of the Agricultural 

 College, Chairman ; "W. H. Gregory, of Pine Grove, Van Buren County ; C. W. 

 Garfield and C. N. Merriman, of Grand Rapids ; and N. Chilson, of Battle 

 Creek. They were also accompanied by the Secretary of the Society, J. P. 

 Thompson, of Cascade Springs. The committee were met at the depot Friday 

 morning by Messrs. I. E. Ilgenfritz, E. H. Reynolds, Baker Lewis, J. M. Ster- 

 ling, and G. W. Bruckner, and proceeded at once to the nursery of Reynolds, 

 Lewis & Co., to commence their labors. The nurseries of Reynolds, Lewis & 

 Co., and that of L E. Ilgenfritz & Co., were entered for premiums. George W. 

 Bruckner enters four vineyards, W. C. Sterling one vineyard, J. M. Sterling 

 one vineyard and one orchard, and the Pointe Aux Peaux Wine Co. their 

 vineyard at the Point. The forenoon of Friday was consumed in examining 

 the "Monroe City Nursery" of Reynolds, Lewis & Co., who have 130 acres 

 growing trees. This nursery is all iu one body, and the committe expressed 

 themselves highly pleased with its condition and arrangement. The afternoon 

 was spent in examining the " Monroe Nursery," L E. Ilgenfritz & Co., pro- 

 prietors. This firm have between 200 and 300 acres bearing trees, on four 

 separate farms. The committee expressed themselves greatly astonished at the 

 extent of these nurseries, having had no idea that so large nurseries were in 

 cultivation in the State. The points on which they examine and base their 

 reports and awards are : soil, protection, nearness to market, variety and 

 arrangement, culture, pruning, grafting, healthfulness, and freedom from 

 insects, and comparison with test orchards. On several of these points, as soil, 

 nearness to market, culture, etc., the Monroe nurseries were marked number 

 one by several members of the committee, but their full report is to be made 

 at the next meeting of the Society. 



On Saturday morning the committee took an early start for the vineyards 

 on their list. The Henrietta Vineyard, owned by Miss Henrietta Bruckner, 

 which took the first premium last year, as the best Concord vineyard, was 

 found in excellent condition, and the vines well laden with fruit ; also Bruck- 

 nei-'s River Raisin Vineyard, and his Lotus Island Vineyard, the latter con- 

 taining five acres of Concords and Catawbas, the fruit large, fine, and well 

 flavored. Another island near by, owned by G. W. Bruckner and E. J. Boyd, 



