BERRIEN COUNTY. 



241 



As a means of indicating the exceedingly rapid growth of the fruit interest 

 in this region at this period, we append the abstract of a canvass of this same 

 region in the years 1865 and 1869, three and seven years prior to that already 

 given, which, without specifying localities, gives the totals as follows : — 



Year. 



1865. 



1869. 



3,505 

 4,988 



In December, 1886, the Detroit Tribune (upon what authority is not 

 known) states: ''Last year the fruit and farm produce shipments of St. 

 Joseph and Benton Harbor aggregated $1,250,000 ; this year they reach 

 $1,500,000." 



In December, 1877, Mr. John Whittlesey, of St. Joseph, reports the fol- 

 lowing fruit shipments from Berrien county: — 



BY WATER. 



Barrels, apples. - 75,883 



Half-bushel crates, strawberries 128,840 



Half-bvishel crates, raspberries 40,771 



Half-bushel crates, blackberries 14,876 



Half-bushel crates, cherries 6,945 



Quarter-bushel baskets, grapes 43,563 



Third-bushel cases, grapes 5,731 



Quarter-bushel baskets, quinces . _ . 700 



Baskets, j^eaches 423,225 



Add for various kinds of fruits not classified . 6.000 



BY RAILROAD. 



Baskets, peaches, pears, and grapes 65,333 



Crates, berries . 25,478 



Barrels, apples 8,038 



Besides large quantities of peaches taken to Indiana by wagons. 



In 1854, Timothy W. Dunham, who for a considerable period conducted a 

 nursery business in Kalamazoo, removed to St. Joseph, where he planted a 

 large orchard of peach and apple trees, and also a peach nursery, which for 

 years was the main source of supply for the vicinity. 



The Berrien County Agricultural Society was organized on March 13, 1850. 

 A society known as the North Berrien and Michigan Lake Shore Agricultural 

 Society was also organized in 1871. 



On the 25th of February, 1871, by invitation of the Berrien county Horti- 

 cultural Association, at a meeting held at the Congregational church, W. B. 

 Kansom, of that place, read an essay, in the course of which he described his 

 process of trapping the curculio, by leveling and compacting the surface of 

 the ground immediately about the trunk of the tree, and placing thereon, 



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