256 GENERAL HISTORY. 



eight barrels of apples taken from it last year (1880). The fruit is of excel- 

 lent quality, always taking the premium at our county fairs, whenever the 

 committee can agree as to its name. The tree is known to be more than fifty 

 years old, but how much older cannot be ascertained.'' 



Much taste is manifested at both Ypsilanti and Ann Arbor iu the planting 

 of shade and ornamental trees and shrubbery in streets as well as in public 

 and private grounds. In the latter city, indeed, it may be fairly charged 

 that the close planting, with the subsequent growth, if it has not already 

 unfavorably affected the cheerfulness as well as healthfulness of residences, 

 must surely soon do so in many cases unless prevented by a lesort to thin- 

 ning. 



The growths about the University buildings were planted at an early day; 

 not. however, with much apparent regard for modern landscaping ideas, 

 which, however, may perhaps properly have been deemed not applicable in the 

 case. No particulars are at hand or readily accessible respecting thegrounda 

 connected with the State Normal School at Ypsilanti which are understood 

 to be carefully laid out, planted and kept. 



Fairview Park constitutes part of the ornamental grounds attached to the 

 residence of Mr. L. D. Watkins, of Manchester, upon his farm of over eleven 

 hundred acres of excellent land situated on both sides of the line between 

 Washtenaw and Jackson counties. It was laid out and planted by the 

 present proprietor and covers about twenty-five acres. The location of this, 

 as well as of the grounds more immediately about the residence, is naturally 

 admirably adapted to the purpose, and these advantages, together with the 

 original timber growths, have been carefully utilized for the purpose of 

 securing early and satisfactory results. Among these native trees are nine 

 white oaks, ranging from twelve to eighteen feet in circumference. The 

 plan involves the idea of a densely shaded centre with outlying groups and 

 single trees, somewhat after the manner of the approach to a forest from an 

 open prairie. 



In the additional planting mostly native trees have been employed. Of 

 these fifty-nine varieties occur; and of introduced varieties, twenty-three. 

 The shade of the central portion is already so dense that little surface or 

 undergrowth occurs, since the latter has been carefully removed and the 

 growth of grass encouraged as far as possible, to the better adapt it to pur- 

 poses of pleasure or amusement, for which it is understood to be freely 

 opened to the public. Many of the trees are fully fifty feet in height, and all 

 seem healthy and vigorous. 



Rock work is introduced to some extent as a means of protecting tender 

 trees, evergreens, etc. 



In 1867 the premium of the Agricultural Society for the best orchard was 

 awarded to that of John Starkweather, of Ypsilanti. The orchard includes 

 three acres — soil sandy loam — contains one hundred and twenty trees, 

 planted in the spring of 1846. He prunes '* by the eye," with reference to 

 the natural habit of the tree; and when a tree dies he removes it at once, 

 applies a compost of muck and barnyard scrapings to the soil, and plants a 

 good-sized tree in its place. 



The County Agricultural Society reports the apple crop for 1868 (a year of 

 general failure) as ab.nit one-fourth of an average, and peaches very few. 



The extensive apple and peach orchards of S. W. Dorr, which were visited 

 and commended by the orchard committee of the State Pomological Society 



