292 GENERAL HISTORY. 



and peach seeds, from Arhicli sprang many of the earliest orchards, although 

 many of these have been either grafted or cut down to give place to improved 

 varieties. 



Many of the peach trees proved to be reproductions of the originals, and a 

 few may have even been improvements upon them. One of these last is the 

 Granger peach, which has been adjudged worthy of a name and a description 

 by a committee of the State Horticultural Society, and is being propagated 

 and planted as a desirable market variety. 



In 1844 Daniel Foster, from Eochester, ISTeAV York, settled in the town of 

 Trowbridge. Having some experience in the nursery business, he commenced 

 planting seeds of apple and peach, which soon grew into a considerable nur- 

 sery for that early day, and which supplied many of the old orchards now 

 standing in this part of the county. From this nursery came the Granger 

 peach already spoken of. 



S. K. Tanner, of Monterey, stiJl has a small peach orchard, mostly of bud- 

 ded trees, which were planted in 1849, and are yet fairly productive. 



There was little demand for peaches from without the county prior to 1867 

 and '08, but about this time the market at Chicago for this fruit began to 

 attract attention, and farmers began the planting of peach orchards with 

 reference to marketing the product abroad. 



In 1870 George T. Lay, of Monterey, planted five hundred peach trees, and 

 in 18G4 sold the crop therefrom for $800. Subsequently Mr. Lay enlarged 

 his plantation to two thousand trees. 



J. n. Wetmore, of Allegan, planted an orchard of sixteen hundred peach 

 trees, and in the same town another of four thousand trees was planted by J. 

 B. Dumont. There were also many others who planted from one hundred 

 to three thousand trees in a single year. 



More recently the lower prices of this fruit, together with fear of yellows, 

 seems to have somewhat abated the disposition for peach tree planting, and 

 many farmers are again looking to the apple crop as a source of revenue. 



J. H. Wetmore has eighteen hundred apple trees upon his farm, and Peter 

 Dundle, of Monterey, has nearly as many. These orchards have proved highly 

 profitable. Almost every farm has upon it an apple orchard of from one 

 hundred to five hundred trees. The varieties mostly grown are Baldwin, Ivhode 

 Island Greening, Northern Spy, Golden Russet, Red Canada, Hubbardston, 

 besides many others which occur less commonly. 



W. 0. Hudson commenced a nursery at Allegan in 1874, engaging largely 

 in the growing of peach trees. He has continued the business to the present 

 time. 



A general nursery was also commenced in the town of Allegan by G. H. 

 LaFleur, in the spring of 1875, which is still continued. 



In 1873 a county agricultural society was organized, which, under occa- 

 sional embarrassments, has maintained its existence to the present time. 

 This society owns a fine i^arcel of grouni adjacent to the village at the north- 

 west, which, while occupied by the society for its annual fairs, is also availa- 

 ble and beautifully situated for a village park. It lies within a bend of the 

 Kalamazoo river, which nearly surrounds it. It is elevated well above the 

 stream, and is intersparsed with native oak, ash, beech, maple, elm, butter- 

 nut and blaok walaut trees. 



In 1874 a Union Agricultural and Industrial Society was organized at 

 Plainwell, in eastern Allegan. 



