INGHAM COUNTY. 



385 



Centennial, at Philadelphia, were G. W. Brown and Mrs. Mary J. Merrill, of 

 Lansing. 



The Ingham County Agricultural Society was organized in 1854. In 1869 

 it reports a superior exhibit of vegetables. 



In 1870 the society reports that the fruit crop was very good, especially ap- 

 ples. The trade in apples is fast increasing in the county. Large quantities 

 were shipped this season to western markets at remunerative prices. At the 

 annual fair the display of fruits and flowers was very large and attracted great 

 attention. 



The Ingham County Farmers' Club, of Mason, made its report to the State 

 Pomological Society for the first time in 1876. The club takes a large inter- 

 est in the raising ot fruits. The date of its organization is not given. 



A large and interesting meeting of the State Pomological Society was held 

 at Lansing on February 18th to 30th, 1879. 



In March, 1880, a society was organized at a meeting called at Lansing, 

 which took the name of Ingham County Horticultural Society. It adopted 

 the rules proposed in such case by the State Horticultural Society, to which 

 it became auxiliary. It meets monthly and is believed to be exerting a happy 

 influence upon the horticulture of the county. 



Prof. James Satterlee, late of the Agricultural College, in the Transactions 

 of the State Horticultural Society for 1881, states that in this county apples 

 and most other fruits are grown in connection with farm crops. Apples are 

 uniformly most successful on strong upland that had originally a good 

 sprinkling of oak timber. In a few locations peaches are also successful. 

 One orchard of eight hundred trees, near Park lake, about ten miles from 

 Lansing, has borne nearly every season for many years. Pears are not grown 

 to any extent as a market crop, yet the few small orchards and isolated trees 

 in different parts of the county indicate what might be done by judicious 

 management. Plum trees make a vigorous, healthy growth on our strong 

 clay soils, and with good care produce fair crops for many years. The grape 

 succeeds admirably, except in an occasional season, when frost destroys the 

 crop. Duke and Morello cherries succeed on nearly all soils. The Mazzard 

 varieties fail on account of the bursting of the bark and the premature death 

 of the trees. All kinds of small fruits succeed well, but are not yet grown in 

 sufficient quantity to supply the home demand. This is also true of market 

 gardening. 



Mr. Satterlee concludes with the following tabular statement of fruits sold 

 in the county during the preceding six years : 



Small fruits include pears, plums, and cherries sold, along with berries. 



