BERRIEN COUNTY. 239' 



blackberries of two and tliree years' growtli, after deducting expense of pick- 

 ing, packing, transportation and commission on sales, received the snug sum 

 of over $1,800, or over $1,200 per acre, the yield being about three hundred 

 bushels of berries. 



"S. F. Heath, of Heath's corners, purchased of H. W. Guernsey a lease of 

 five acres of peach orchard, the lease having six years to run, for $800, Mr. 

 Guernsey to have the first succeeding crop. Mr. Heath afterward purchased 

 the land, subject to the lease, for $500. Mr. Heath's fruit crop brought 

 him $1,800. He then sold the five acres to Wm. Gates for 17,000, all the 

 peaches being on the five acres. Mr. Heath paid Mr. Gates $2,000 for the 

 next crop after the sale, and Mr. Gates received for the next crop, being the 

 crop of 1868, $4,000, with good prospects for a greater crop the following 

 year. 



"Mr. E. D. Harmon, of Benton, in 1868, from one and one-fourth acres of 

 strawberries, picked 194 bushels of berries, which netted him $718.19. 



''Mr. W. J. Nott, in the same year, from fifty-four Delaware grape vines, 

 the fourth year after setting, picked five hundred pounds of grapes. His 

 Concords and Hartford s, of the same age, paid him about $450 per acre. 



"Mr. Z. Eice, on the lake shore road, in 1867, from one hundred and nine 

 vines, making one-eighth of an acre of land, picked 4,300 pounds of Con- 

 cords, Isabellas and Catawbas. In 1868, from 300 trees, Mr. Eice picked 

 1,782 baskets of peaches, the trees occupying less than two acres. 



•'Mr. Carley, four years ago, purchased forty acres with eleven acres of peach 

 orchard for $5,000; paid $1,500 down. The first year after his purchase he 

 cleared from his peaches $2,800. He has since paid for his place, has money 

 left, and is now independent, all of which, except the $1,500, he made from 

 his peaches." 



The following, from Mr. Rirmelee, we give entire: — 



Friend Winslow. — Agreeably to your request I herewith transmit a few facts re- 

 lating to the field culture of small fruits in my neighbourhood the past year 



The following facts were communicated to me by the cultivators themselves, who are 

 men of good reputation, who live on one road, and whose lands are adjoining : — 



Mr. U. Osborn, from one and one-quarter acres of strawberries, sold 230 bushels for 

 $800, used thirty bushels (by estimation) for canning, etc. , and lost about one hundred 

 bushels for want of pickers. 



Iklr. C. Drupstein, from three-fourths of an acre, on which is a small house, seventy 

 peach trees two years old, and fifty grape-vines, sold one hundred and seven bushels 

 of strawberries for $137. 



Mr. Grady, from three-eighths of an acre strawberries, sold sixty -five bushels for $290. 



Mr. Jones, from seven-eighths of an acx-e of strawberries, on which ground stands 

 ninety peach trees, sold one hundred and ten and one half bushels for $388. These last 

 were planted very wide. 



On neither of the four pieces was there any mulching or manuring of any kind. All 

 the above estimates were after deducting freight and commission on sales. Only the 

 first gave an estimate of the quantity put up at home, but all fruit growers have "a tooth 

 for good things," the proof of which saying is in stopping for tea. 



It is fair to state that this is a specimen of field culture, no more. When extra care 

 has been given three hundred bushels to the acre has been realized. I could cite you 

 to several others in the same neighborhood who have attained the yield of three hun- 

 dred bushels per acre, or nearly that, on extra rich soil, or by mulching or manuring or 

 both. 



