OAKLAND COUNTY. 279 



pioneers in this interest a noteworthy one was N. Philbrick, of Farmiagton, 

 who established a nursery in that town as early as 1825, from which numer- 

 ous orchards were supplied, both in this and in Wayne county, adjacent. 



At Troy, in the eastern part of the county, a nursery was also commenced 

 by Charles Hastings in 183G, which supplied trees to the vicinity for a series 

 of years, but was ultimately transferred to Detroit, where it was conducted 

 by Hastings, Hubbard & Davis, and afterward by Hubbard & Davis. 



The soils, as wells as the climate, are favorable to the success of the hardier 

 fruits, especially the apple, and to these favoring conditions are to be added 

 the consideration that the multitude of small lakes so abundantly scattered 

 throughout the county are a preventive against the occurrence of untimely 

 frosts during spring and autumn. 



One of these, known as Island Lake, about five miles southwesterly from 

 Pontiac, contains an island, embracing about thirty-eight acres, on which, 

 at the first settlement of this region, there was found an old, seedling apple 

 orchard, doubtless planted by the Indians, or by French fur traders, who 

 may have established themselves in this vicinity. 



The effort to organize an agricultural society, which had been prematurely 

 made in 1830, was renewed in 1849, resulting in the organizing of a county- 

 society on the 7th of July of that year. 



On June 19th, 1880, the farmers of the town of Avon organized a township 

 agricultural society. 



Soon after its organization, in 1849, the State Agricultural Society inau- 

 gurated the idea of offering premiums on farms, to be awarded upon an ex- 

 amination by a committee, accompanied by a statement of particulars, and 

 of the system of management, rendered by the owner. 



In 1850 such award was made to the farm of Linus Cone, of Troy, an in- 

 telligeat and progressive farmer, long since deceased, who was long a contrib- 

 utor to the columns of the Michigan Farmer and to other periodicals. 



In making such award, the committee speak of the horticultural arrange- 

 ments as follows: — 



"The garden was well supplied with vegetables, and with several of the 

 best varieties of strawberries, raspberries, currants, etc. ; flowers of several 

 beautiful varieties, and some about the piazza, in front of the house. Ad- 

 joining the garden on the north is the fruit orchard. First the peach, pear 

 and plum trees, and some small apple trees ; then the bearing apple orchard, 

 with choice varieties, principally winter fruit; the trees well pruned and 

 scraped, presenting a healthy appearance, and in full bearing. The peach 

 and young apple tree ground was planted with rutabagas and pumpkins, and 

 the other part of the orchard with beans, and all promising good crops. The 

 fruit of the orchard was one hundred and twenty-five barrels of apples, with 

 fifty bushels for family use and twenty bushels refuse. No account was kept 

 of peaches, cherries, pears and plums." 



In 1883 this farm again received an award, but as the particulars were very 

 similar to the foregoing, they are omitted. 



Linus Cone was so long and so favorably known in Oakland county, as well 

 as in the State at large, as a leading and successful horticulturist as well as 

 farmer, that the following abstract from a contribution by 0. Poppleton to 

 the ninth volume of '^ Pioneer Collections" is deemed appropriate: — 



Linus Cone was born at Haddam, Conn., October 12th, 1802, and at an 

 early age emigrated with his father to Bloomfield, Ontario county, N. Y. At 



