230 GENERAL HISrORY. 



In 1839 Nathaniel Fisher, of Algansee, planted a small seedling nursery 

 of apples and peaches. 



John lioberts, of Cold crater, also planted a seedling apple nursery about 

 the year 1838 or 1839. The trees were sold ungrafted. This is reputed to 

 have been the first nursery planted in the county. 



The first grafted orchard of two hundred trees was planted by Lucas 

 Joseph, in the township of Quincy, in 1840. The most productive and profit- 

 ble of these were ten trees of a variety locally known as Virginia Kedstreak, 

 or Seeknofurther, from which, in 1845, he sold one hundred bushels of apples 

 for ¥lOO, and in 184G one hundred and twenty-five bushels for seventy-five cents 

 per bushel. Other varieties also produced abundantly. Peaches, plums and 

 pears were also, at that time, abundantly successful. 



In 1841 Lucas Joseph, in company with C. H. Hagerman, formerly of 

 Rochester, N. Y., but more recently from Riga, Lf^nawee county, Mich., 

 planted the first grafted nursery, consisting of 10,000 trees, which were very 

 successful. 



In 184"<i llev. Lewis Eobbius planted a nursery in Algansee, comprising 

 sixty varieties of apples, together with several varieties of pears, which had 

 been grafted upon apple roots, and which were consequently short-lived, lie 

 itlso planted an orchard of two hundred and fifty apple trees, consisting of 

 thirty varieties, and an acre of quinces. The latter winter-killed within a 

 few years. 



L. M. Leet, of Bronson (to whom the writer is indebted for many of the 

 foregoing facts), has been employed in the growing of small fruits since 1875, 

 his plantation embracing about two and one-half acres. His moat profitable 

 crop — that of 1882 — yielding, from less than one acre, a nee return of 8369. 



During the continuance of the Centennial Exposition of 1870, at Pliila- 

 delphia, the following citizens of the county contributed fruits to the collec- 

 tions of the State Pomolo^ical Society, for that exhibition, viz : F. H. Foster, 

 F. Olds and J. Shaw, of Union City; J. Sht.'uveruen and Wm. R. Cair, of 

 Batavia; J. H. Lawrence, of California; H. Wilson and F. H. Atwater, of 

 Kiuderhook ; Dea. Selover, of Coldwater. These collections were forwarded 

 by Eli Bidleman, of Coldwater. 



The State Pomological Society held its annual meeting, occurring during 

 the first week of December, 1876, at Coldwater, upon the invitation of the 

 Coldwater Horticultural Club. 



This association, which was organized December 23d, 1876, became auxiliary 

 to the State Pomological Society, to which it reported annually down to the' 

 year 1881, when it seems, for some unexplained reason, to have become dis- 

 organized. 



A county agricultural society was organized as early as November 15th, 

 1851. 



Branch county, by the census of 1884, has of apple orchards 8,856 acres, 

 289,884 bearing trees, yielding, in 1883, 103,199 bushels of fruit. 



Peach orchards, 90 acres, 6,26i bearing trees, yielding, in 1883, 408 bushels 

 of fruit. 



The value of orchard products of all kinds, sold or consumed, in 1883, 

 was $50,051.00. 



Vineyards, 28 acres: grapes sold in 1883, 1,710 pounds. * 



wine made in 1883, 87 gallons. 



Nurseries, 11 acres; products sold in 1883, #800.00. 



Market garden products sold in 1883, 15,943.00. 



