OCEANA COUNTY. 355 



to attract a good deal of attention as a favorable location for the growing of 

 the more delicate fruits. 



The Oceana Poniological Society contributed to the Centennial display of 

 the Michigan State Poniological Society at Philadelphia, in September and 

 October, 187G, forty-eight varieties of apples, nine of pears, three of peaches 

 and three of crab apples. 



E. J. Shirts, of Shelby, also contributed apples and plums. 



In 1877 the following entries of plantations were made from this county 

 for the examination of the orchard committee of the State Pomological So- 

 ciety, viz: by — 



L. Chubb, Blackberry Kidge, young peach orchard. 



L. Chubb, Blackberry Ridge, bearing peach orchard. 



L. Chubb, Blackberry Ridge, plum orchard. 



C. A. Sessions, Blackberry Ridge, peach orchard. 



J. H. Sammons, Blackberry Ridge, peach orchard. 



Chas. W. Jay, Blackberry Ridge, peach orchard. 



Chas. W. Jay, Blackberry Ridge, young peach orchard. 



Chas. W. Jay, Blackberry Ridge, plum orchard. 



Chas. W. Jay, Blackberry Ridge, quince orchard. 



Wm. Sours, Blackberry Ridge, pear orchard. 



Wm. Sours, Blackberry Ridge, plum orchard. 



C. A. Sessions, Blackberry Ridge, apple orchard. 



H. E. Russell, Hart, apple orchard. 



W. F. Lake, Shelby, apple orchard. 



On March 3d, 1878, at a meeting called for that purpose, at Pentwater, the 

 Oceana and Lake Shore Horticultural Society was organized, to fill the place 

 of the former Oceana County Pomological Society, which had become disor- 

 ganized. The new society subsequently became auxiliary to the State Pomo- 

 logical Society. 



The summer meeting of the State Horticultural Society was held at Pent- 

 water on June 20th and 21st, upon the invitation of the county society. The 

 attendance was large and the exercises highly interesting. It was referred 

 to in the annual report of the local society as the event of the year. 



In 1884 Secretary Garfield, in ''A Brief of Horticulture," says: "Oceana is 

 the great plum county of the State, not that it is any better adapted to the 

 culture of this fruit than other localities to the north and south of it, but 

 plums have been made something of a specialty, which has popularized the 

 locality. Large orchards of peaches lie upon and near the lake shore." 



According to the census of 1884 Oceana county has of apple orchards, 3,- 

 476 acres, 82,806 bearing trees, yielding in 1883, 14,071 bushels of fruit. 



Peach orchards, 864 acres, 34,653 bearing trees, yielding in 1883, 4,178 

 bushels of fruit. 



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

 $16,486.00. 



Vineyards, 207 acres : grapes sold in 1883, 500 pounds. 



wine made in 1883, 90 gallons. 



Nurseries, 3 acres ; products sold in 1883, $300.00. 



Market garden products sold in 1883, $3,008.00. 



