350 GENERAL HISTORY. 



City, which elicited a large attendance. The proceedings "were very interest- 

 ing and profitable, a full account of which appears elsewhere in this volume. 



From April to June of this year the black army worm {Agrostis fermica, 

 Tauschur), for the first time, were numerous and destructive to vegetation in 

 portioiis of Bay county and elsewhere. 



Ill a ''Brief of Horticulture," Secretary Garfield remarks: "There is a great 

 deal of taste exhibited here in the growing of plants, flowers and shrubbery. 

 The wealth that has accumulated by means of the great lumbering trade is 

 being judiciously expended in building homes and in the development of an 

 advanced agriculture." 



The annual report for the year 1884 speaks encouragingly of the future of 

 the society. 



In 1S75 the society through its president, B. F. Partridge of Bay City, made 

 a creditable exhibit, at the meeting of the American Pomological Society at 

 Grand Rapids in September. 



This county, according to the census of 1884, had of apple orchards, 1,388 

 acres, 30,881 bearing trees, yielding in 1873, 7,439 bushels of fruit. 



Peach orchards, 8 acres, 3 bearing trees, yielding in 1883, 13 bushels of 

 fruit. 



The value of orchard products of all kinds, sold or consumed in 1883, was 

 $5,470.00. 



Viuriyards, 34 acres: grapes sold in 1883, 23.386 pounds. 



wine made in 1883, 2.349 gallons. 



Nurseries, 1 acre; products sold in 1883, $305.00. 



Market garden products sold in 1883, $17,813.00. 



MIDLAND COUNTY. 



This county was set off by an act of the Legislative Council of the Terri- 

 tory, approved March 2d, 1831. 



It was organizeel under an act of the State Legislature, approved March 

 29th, 1850, and amended February 8th, 1855. The org mization was given 

 effect from and after December 31st, 1850. The law established the county 

 seat at Midland City. 



The county lies in the valley of the Tit^abawassse river, and is therefore 

 a portion of the great Saginaw valley, and, like it, is a comparatively level 

 regi in, with few if any portions elevated more than one hundred and fifty 

 fei-t above the waters of Saginaw bay. 



This county has received a portion of the immigration that has poured 

 into the Saginaw valley during the past forty or fifty years, but no facts are 

 at hand shuwing dates or extent of settlement, or the present condition of 

 the hor iculture of the county, save that a beautiful display of apples from 

 the Midland Fair Association was shown at the State fair of 1885, at Kala- 

 raaz)0, the appearance of which, and the statements of the exhibitors, indi- 

 cating the possibilities of fruit culture in the county. 



vlidlan 1 c tunty, according to the census of 1884, liad of apple orchards, 

 879 acre-', 15.078 bearing trees, y elding in 188 J, 4,239 bushels of fruit. 



Peach orchards, none, 4 bearing trees yielding in 1883 no fruit. 



