^66 GENERAL HISTORY. 



largely in an amateur way, to the care and management of plants and flowers 

 in garden and greenhouse. A nursery owned and conducted by E. M. Pot- 

 ter, of Kalamazoo, has been in operation for many years. 



As early as October, 1855, Geo. Taylor immigrated to Kalamazoo from 

 Scotland, where he had had much experience in the propagation of trees and 

 plants. In the spring of 1856 he commenced a nursery, making a specialty 

 of evergreens and ornamental plants, which business he and his son have 

 maintained, a portion of the time in connection with market gardening, 

 down to the present time. 



During the summer of 1850 Mr. Taylor planted about three hundred celery 

 plants, which he was barely able to dispose of during the ensuing autumn 

 and winter, by the aid of one of the village dealers, who consented to urge a 

 trial among his customers of this, to them, new and almost unknown vegeta- 

 ble. Mr. Taylor, however, manifested genuine Scotch pertinacity, as well as 

 his confidence in the possibility of "educating the market," by planting and 

 ultimately disposing of still more celery during the next season. This was 

 followed up from year to year, thus apparently entitling him fairly to the 

 credit of being the introducer or originator of a business which has ulti- 

 mately added largely to the income as well as to the horticultural reputation 

 of the city. Mr. Taylor's celery was grown wholly upon ordinary upland, 

 the adaptability of the rich marsh and bottom lands to this purpose being at 

 that time unthought of. 



Although it is pretty well understood that the strong growth and bountiful 

 yield of this vegetable upon the rich, moist, and heretofore almost waste 

 marsh lands of Kalamazoo is secured somewhat at the expense of quality, 

 the discovery of their adaptability to such purpose has apparently supplied 

 the occasion for a most surprising development of a new industry, of which 

 the early experiment of Mr. Taylor seems to have been the initiatory step. 

 From the planting of a few rods of land for the supply of the local market, 

 the business has, within a comparatively few years, expanded to the occupancy 

 of nearly or quite fifteen hundred acres, and to the supplying of the markets 

 of almost the entire country. 



The plants for the earliest crop are started in hotbeds. Growers begin to 

 plant as early as possible, using large quantities of manure. The harvesting 

 of the early crop begins early in August. For shipment the celery is packed 

 in boxes, each box holding a dozen bunches of a dozen heads each. For stor- 

 ing in winter the plants are set upright, closely packed, in a nearly frost 

 proof building, partially below the surface of the ground, preferably upon 

 dry upland. They are put in unblanched, the blanching being perfected, 

 within a few weeks, when closely packed. Boards are put in every few feet, 

 wht^n being housed, to prevent heating and rotting. The main crop is usually 

 planted out late in July, and only required to ba harvested in time to escape 

 freezing. 



In June, 1873, the State Pomological Society held a very successful meet- 

 ing at Kalamazoo, at which time a fine display of summer fruits was made. 



The State Agricultural Society Inld its annual fairs at Kalamazoo in 1863 

 and 1864, also in 187 L and 1872. At these fairs very large and fine exhibits 

 of the pomological and horticultural products of the State were made which 

 were wholly under the supervision of the officers of the agricultural society. 

 In 1884 and 1885 the annual State fairs again occurred at Kalamazoo, at which 

 time the plant, flower and fruit exhibits and the control of horticultural 



