288 GENERAL HISTORY. 



The Eaton County Horticultural Society was organized on February 4th, 

 1882. 



C. W. Garfield (Hort. Report, 1884, page 160) says, Eaton is a great apple 

 county. At Eaton Rapids, previous to December 1st, 1884, thirteen thousand 

 barrels had been shipped, and several other towns had done nearly as well. 

 Among the more profitable varieties in the old orchards are Baldwin, North- 

 ern Spy, Rhode Island Greening, and Roxbury Russet. On some of the ele- 

 vated lands peaches have proved very profitable. Blight has made inroads 

 upon pears, but Seckel, Angouleme, Clapp's Favorite and Vicar have been 

 reasonably exempt. 



On December 3d to 5th, 1883, the State Horticultural Society held its 

 annual meeting with the County Horticultural Society at Eaton Rapids. 

 The meeting was unusually well attended, interesting and profitable. 



During the past season M. H. Bailey, of Windsor, has examined and made 

 notes of two hundred and ninety-five orchards in this county, of which the 

 following is an abstract: — 



The S'lils in Sunfield are mostly heavy clay. Root-grafted Baldwins, in 

 twelve orchards, of twenty-five years' growth, were in good condition. In 

 thirty orchards, of thirty years' growth, trees leaning to the northeast were 

 badly injured on the southwest side. 



In Roxand the soil is very heavy clay loam ; timber, bitternut, black wal- 

 nut, beech and maple. In eleven root-grafted orchards, of twenty- three to 

 thirty years' growth, the trees are thrifty, except in depressions in which 

 water stands. 



Of ten orchards in Oneida, on heavy clay soil, of twenty-five to thirty-six 

 years' growth, a part are in good condition ; others scraggy, with dead or 

 dying branches. 



The soil of Delta orchards is clay loam. The twelve orchards inspected 

 were of root-grafted trees ; set from twenty to forty-five years; in thrifty 

 condition, and loaded with fruit. 



In Windsor the soils are sand, gravel, clay and muck. Twenty root-grafted 

 orchards, set from twenty-two to forty years, much like those of Delta. In 

 six others, some trunk-grafted trees look feeble. Others, top-grafted, look 

 better, and are loaded with fruit. 



Twenty-three orchards examined in Benton correspond very closely with 

 those examined in Windsor. 



The soil of Chester is sand, gravel and clay. In twenty orchards, of six- 

 teen to forty years' growth, Baldwins, both root and top-grafts, are thrifty. 

 Other varieties also arc generally in good condition. Very little difference is 

 apparent between high and low ground. 



Heavy clay soil prevails in Vermontville orchards. This is a good town 

 for general farming, and fruit is at its best here. Of the eleven orchards 

 inspected, some trees in hollows are feeble, as well as some natural orchards. 



In Kalamo seventeen orchards were visited. This town is the special 

 home of the Ben Davis apple. Root and top-grafts appear to be equally good 

 under good management, except in low sags, where trees show disease. 



Twenty-three orchards were visited in Carmel. In nineteen of these, from 

 sixteen to forty years of age, the oldest trees where good care had been given, 

 are in thrifty, bearing condition. Old natural trees are mostly decaying at 

 the top. 



In nine orchards visited in Eaton, all root-grafts planted from eight to 



