272 GENERAL HISTORY. 



In 1871 a small experimental plantation of figs was made at South Haven 

 by H. E. Bidwell, with some degree of success. The plants grew and fruited 

 freely, but the necessity for thorough protection during winter proved to be a 

 serious obstacle, so serious indeed that the effort has been abandoned. 



Prior to the improvement of the liarbor at the mouth of South Black river 

 and the construction of the Kalamazoo and South Haven railroad, the diffi- 

 culty of transportation to market was a serious drawback upon commercial 

 fruit culture in the lake shore portion of the county. After these iuiprove- 

 uieuts had become available, in 1870, the planting of orchards, especially of 

 peaches, pears and grapes increased with far greater rapidity. Doubtless this 

 tendency was increased, rather than otherwise, by the failure of the peach 

 plantations of western Berrien, upon the advent of the yellows with the utter 

 neglect to apply auy effective remedy ; while the orchardists of western Van 

 Buren, forewarned by this experience, by a general extirpation of diseased 

 trees, were enabled to so far hold the disease in subjection that it proved a 

 comparatively slight restraint upon planters. Its first appearance here was 

 in 1873, although it seems to have followed the railway northward and ap- 

 peared in the central part of the county at a somewhat earlier date. 



A "yellows law," applicable to Van Buren, Allegan and Ottawa counties, 

 was framed by T. T. Lyon of South Haven and enacted by the Legislature of 

 1874 and '75. The township commissioner appointed in South Haven, 

 under the provisions of this law, failed to enforce it in a case in which dis- 

 eased trees had not been removed voluntarily, supposedly from unwillingness 

 to antagonize a prominent and influential planter. Be this us it may, the 

 South Haven society appointed a committee to prepare a revised bill, which 

 when matured, was referred to a joint committee of this and the Saugatuck 

 societies, and which was, by this committee, perfected and by them submitted 

 to the State Pomological Society, prior to its transmission to the Legislature. 

 The outcome of this process is the existing " yellows law " of this State, con- 

 taining provisions which, in practice, must necessarily seriously interfere 

 with its prompt execution. It is believed that no process has ever been 

 issued for the enforcement of its provisions. 



This disease made its appearance in the orchards about Lawton during the 

 summer of 1878. 



A large proportion of the fruit shipments from South Haven is drawn from 

 the southwester portion of Allegan county, an account of which is reserved 

 to appear in connection with the history of that county. 



Tlie South Haven Pomological Society made an exhibit at the Vienna 

 Exposition upon which it was awarded a bronze medal. 



This society also contributed a very fine collection of fruits, the growth of 

 1875, in excellent condition, to the opening exhibit of fruits on May 1st, 1876, 

 at the Centennial Exposition. Contributions were also made to the fall dis- 

 play by C. Engle of Paw Paw, peaches and grapes; B. W. Abrams and J. Q. 

 Morse, apples; D. C. Loveday and A. J. Perrin, variety of fruits; John Rose- 

 velt, Keeler, fruits; A. A. Olds, Decatur, grapes, apples, pears; H. G. Barnes, 

 Lawrence, variety of fruits; George W. Lawton, Lawton, apples and grapes; 



E. Warner, pears, peaches, grapes and apples; Wm. Jones, Love and D. 



Spice, a variety of fruits. 



The Centennial judges of pomology report as follows, so far as the fruits 

 of this county are concerned: — 



S. Hopkins, Bangor : This exhibit embraces ten varieties of peaches, in- 



