230 STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



premises : first, of his peach orchard ; second, of the grapery, but before we had 

 proceeded far in testing his peaches and grapes dinner was announced. You 

 w^ould have been pleased to have witnessed how promptly all fell into line and 

 marched for the house, where Ave found a sumptuous repast awaiting our 

 arrival. To say that Ave did ample justice to the viands Avould be simply stat- 

 ing a fact. After dinner, basket after basket of choice peaches were served up, 

 sprinkled in with choice grapes. As this farm contains 130 acres of choice 

 fruit, consisting of grapes, peaches, pears, apples, plums, and small fruits, we 

 had work before ns, and commenced an examination of the premises, which 

 Ave found in a high state of cultiA'ation. Sixty acres of the orchard were soAvn 

 to wheat, and looked well. The proprietor of this farm is probably one of 

 the best posted fruit-growers in the State, having been largely engaged in the 

 business in the St. Joseph country for a number of years. 



We next proceeded to the residence of Mr. E. H. McCallum, where we were 

 invited to tea. Here was spread before ns a table loaded with everything that 

 a hungry man could desire, but we Avere surfeited, our time was short, and we 

 had just commenced the business in hand. As we were likely to be late home, 

 Mrs. McCallum put us up a lunch, Avhich was very acceptable. 



Wm. A. Marshall's place was next visited, Avhere we found a very fine farm 

 and ecpially good orchard and grapery ; such as Golden and Eoxbury Eusset, 

 etc.; trees in fine shape, very healthy, and heavily burdened with fruit. 



The next farm was Chas. P. Avery's, who has a very fine show of fruit for a 

 young orcbard. Everything about his premises is Avell cared for, and in a few 

 years he will begin to reap a rich reward, if he keeps them np to the present 

 standard. 



Next in order came Prof. W. W. Tracy's farm of 300 acres. Here is another 

 evidence in the right direction. His peach orchard is one of the best we saw 

 of its size. His apple orchard is young and quite extensive. Everything about 

 his premises is neat and tidy, and his orchard well arranged. 



As night was rapidly approaching, we found it necessary to start for home. 

 We Avould gladly have examined a number more of fruit farms, equally deserv- 

 ing, such as those of Messrs. Ladd, Curtis, Porter, and several others, but our 

 lime was too limited. To do justice by this one toAvn it Avould have required 

 three days. 



As Mr. Parraelee Avas desirous that Ave should see one more farm before 

 retiring, Ave called at John Helfreitche's. His orchard is close to the shore of 

 the bay ; the soil Avas a light, sandy loam, and to all appearances had not 

 strength sufficient to produce anything but beans, sorrel, and mullen ; but 

 strange to say, the apple trees Avere remarkably healthy, of rich foliage, and so 

 over -burdened Avitli fully developed fruit that the limbs were literally borne to 

 the ground. We went into the underground fruit cellar, where he exhibited 

 some of the choicest specimens of Khode Island Greening that we had seen 

 during the day. 



I will not attempt to enumerate the number of varieties of fruit which we 

 saw this day ; time nor space will not permit. Suffice to say this peninsula 

 township (embracing the toAvn of Old Mission), had on exhibition at the county 

 fair at Tra Averse City, on the 8th, 9th, and 10th of October, 119 varieties of 

 apples, 25 of peaches, and 20 of pears, every sample fully developed, of high 

 color and fine flavor (except the peaches, which, owing to the season, were not 

 of the usual size nor of fine flavor). The apples were splendid, and the pears, 

 such as Bartlett, Flemish Beauty, and Louise Bonne de Jersey, Avere par excel- 



