ISABEL]^A COUNTY. 351 



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

 13,587.00. 

 Vineyards, 2 acres: grapes sold in 1883, 80 pounds. 



wine made in 1883, none. 

 Nurseries, none; products sold in 1883. 82.00. 

 Market garden products sold in 1883, $958.00. 



ISABELLA COUNTY. 



Isabella county was set off by an act of the L-^gislative Council of the 

 Territory, approved March 2d, 1831, and was organized under an act of the 

 State Legislature, which took full effect upon the qualifying of the county 

 officers elected in pursuance of its provisions, on the first Monday of May, 

 1859. 



The county was named from Isabella, queen of Spain, the patroness of 

 Columbus. 



Mount Pleasant is the county seat. It was settled in 1861. 



In 1880 Horace A. Bigelow, in ''History of Michigan Horticulture," states 

 in substauce that, prior to 1854, Isabella county was an uninhabited forest. 

 On October 20th, 1854, he located a half section of laud in the township of 

 C'»e. In the fall of 1856 he planted thereon an orchard of app'e trees, 

 which were purchased of Mr. Hagerman, a nurseryman of Blissfield, Lenawee 

 county, Michigan. Five or more different orchards were planted from this 

 importation of trees, which proved to be of varieties adapted to the locality. 

 Among them were Northern Spy, Bellflower, Talman Sweet, and Golden 

 Russet (of western N. Y.), also a few labeled Virgmia Red Streak, a common 

 variety in Blissfield, and which proves valuable here also. Red Canada, 

 Baldwin and Rhode Island Greening prove unfit for this region. Wagener, 

 Twenty-Ounce, Ben Davis, Rambo, Fameuse, Bailey Sweet, Early Harvest, 

 Early Joe, Early Strawberry, Fall Pippin, Late Strawberry, Maiden's Blush, 

 Orimes' Golden, White Pippin and Red Astrachan, are named as adapted to 

 the locality. 



The most vigorous and healthy of the oldest apple trees here are Northern 

 Spy, Golden Russet, Talman Sweet and Virginia Red Streak. Flemish 

 Beauty and Bartlett pears are safest and surest here. Most kinds of plums 

 do well. At this time some thirty plum trees in my garden are heavily 

 loaded. Peaches are not reliable here, though what few there are promise an 

 abundant yield of fruit this season. The hardier grapes, like Delaware and 

 Concord, do well here. 



A. A. Loveland, in "A Brief of Horticulture," in 1884, says, in effect: 

 This is a new county, and orchards are young; but apple orchards now com- 

 ing into bearing pay $100 per acre, and all the leading varieties succeed 

 admirably. As yet the crops are consumed at home. 



Pears succeed well on drained clay soil. They sometimes require protec- 

 tion the first winter, but are hardy thereafter. 



This is pre-eminently a plum country. All kinds succeed, from the Wild 

 Goose, which ripens in July, to Coe's Golden Drop, which matures in 

 October. They are perfectly hardy and free from diseases and insects. No 



