VAN BUREN COUNTY. 271 



1885, during which year an agricultural society was organized here, which 

 held exhibitions during that and the following year upon the grounds of a 

 horse ass -.ciation adjacent to the village. 



The South Haven Potnological Society was organized in January, 1871, and 

 in April, 1878, a similar society was organized at Lawton, taking the name 

 of Lawton Pomological Society. 



In 1871 the South Haven society adopted a trade mark for the use of its 

 members, but, as no inspection or other adequate check upon its dishonest use 

 seems to have been instituted, it ere long failed of the purpose intended, 

 and was abandoned. 



Through the energetic action of the South Haven society, aided by the 

 free contributions of the citizens, a large exhibition hall was built upon the 

 public park during the summer of 1872. By invitation, the State Pomo- 

 logical Society held a large and enthusiastic meeting in this hall, accompanied 

 by a large and beautiful collection of fruit, during September of that year. 



On Jane 19th to 21st, 1876, the State Pomological Society again accepted 

 the invitation of the South Haven society, and held its annual strawberry 

 festival at that place. 



On December 3d to 5th, 1877, the annual meeting of the State Pomologi- 

 cal Society was held at Paw Faw, upon the invitation of leading fruit grow- 

 ers of that place. The meeting was a large and interesting one. 



The State Horticultural (late Pomological) Society, upon invitation, held 

 its annual meeting at South Haven, on December 5th to 7th, 1881, with a 

 very full attendance. 



The South Haven Pomological Society was re-organized during the year 

 1882, taking the name of South Haven and Casco Pomological Society. 



L. H. Bailey purchased his present farm adjacent to the village of South 

 Haven in 1853, and settled upon it in 1854. His apple orchards were planted 

 in 1855 and 1856. These orchards have contributed very considerably to the 

 dissemination of a correct knowledge of varieties, especially of apples, many 

 of the less common varieties having been planted and fruited by Mr. Bailey. 



During or soon after the year 1852, S. B. Morehouse and Randolph Dens- 

 more planted orchards north of the river, within what are now the corporate 

 limits of the village of South Haven. This was from four to six years subse- 

 quent to the planting of the Parmelee orchard, near Benton Harbor, which 

 was commenced in 1848, and which may fairly be considered as the initiatory 

 step in commercial peach culture in that region. Within the next few years 

 Mr. James L. Reed planted an orchard on what has since been more com- 

 monly known as the Thaddeus Hopkins farm, a short distance south of the 

 village. This orchard has within the past eight or ten years fallen a prey lo 

 the yellows, and the result has very probably been hastened by neglect conse- 

 quent upon the death of the proprietor. 



The first vineyards in the immediate vicinity of South Haven were planted 

 in 1858, by Orris Church and A. S. Dyckman. The first considerable vine- 

 yard of Delaware grapes was planted in 1864 by Aaron Eames, immediately 

 south of the village. 



A peach tree nursery was planted at South Haven in 1857, from which he 

 planted four acres of orchard in 1859. 



In 1861 John Williams (subsequently the inventor and patentee of the Wil- 

 liams evaporator) settled at South Haven, where he soon after planted a 

 peach orchard and a vineyard. 



