VAN BUREN COUNTY. 273 



eluding Early Ann, Early York, Morns' White, Hill's Chili, Jacques' Rare- 

 ripe and Barnard (said to be popular and an abundant bearer); apples, seven- 

 ty-five varieties. These were on the whole rather superior to the same kinds 

 as usually grown, especially the Baldwin (eleven iuches around). Northern 

 Spy, Rhode Island Greening, Red Russet, Blenhiem Pippin, Black Detroit 

 (twelve and three-quarters inches), Gravenstein (twelve inches), Chenango, 

 Maiden's Blush and Red Detroit. The last is considered a more valuable 

 variety than the Black Detroit. In the collection is an improved Siberian 

 crab. 



H. E. Bidwell, South Haven: Late^Crawford, nine inches in circumference, 

 clear and beautiful. 



I. S. Linderman, South Haven: Thirty plates'of grapes, four varieties; very 

 good. 



C. Engle, Paw Paw: Nine varieties of grapes — Martha, Diana, and Wilder, 

 all good ; Salem, with small branches, extra large and good berries ; Barry, 

 good ; Concord, very fine ; Ives, extra fine. On the whole, worthy of com- 

 mendation for superior culture. 



A canning establishment was established at South Haven in 1872 by E. I. 

 Parks, using only first-class fruits. About one thousand five hundred cans per 

 day — mostly glass — were put up during the season. The enterprise has since 

 been discontinued. The number of cans put up during the year 1872 was 

 thirty thousand. 



The county agricultural society reports : InU868, apples and peaches as 

 good in the western part of the county. 



In 1869 apples were a very large crop, and peaches so abundant that many 

 late ones rotted on the ground. There was a very large display of fruit at 

 the county fair. 



In 1871 fruits and vegetables were especially well represented at the county 

 fair. 



Early in the last decade the peach, pear and apple orchards of W. H. 

 Gregory, of Pine Grove, in the northern part of the county, were attracting 

 much attention. With the removal of the originator, however, they have, 

 for some reason, ceased to hold the attention of the public. 



The orchards of A. S. Dyckman are reported to have yielded, for shipment, 

 in 1864, six hundred baskets; in 1872, twelve thousand baskets. In ]880 he 

 had eight thousand peach trees in orchard, covering fifty acres. In 1886 his 

 orchards are reported to cover eighty acres, and the net returns from these 

 plantations are reported to vary between $2,000 and $10,000 per annum. 



The orchard products of the county for 1870 were reported at $135,910. 



In 1881 the value of fruits shipped from South Blaveu, as indicated mainly 

 by amounts paid through the bank at that j^lace, was $155,012.99. 



The following premiums were awarded to residents of VanBuren county 

 by the orchard committee of the State Pomological Society, for the year 

 1872:— 



To D. M. Shoemaker, South Haven, for apple orchard, second premium. 



To John Williams. South Haven, for apple orchard, third premium. 



To L. H. Bailey, South Haven, for collection of varieties of apple trees, 

 third premium. 



To A. S. Dyckman, South Haven, for peach orchard, first premium. 



To 0. C. Lathrop, South Haven, for peach orchard, first premium. 



To H. J. Edgell, South Haven, for vineyard, second premium. 



35 



