360 GENERAL HISTORY. 



in this region was planted by Burt Caswell in 1851. He planted about one 

 hundred trees, mostly Northern Spys and Khode Island Greenings. He sold 

 some of the first fruits in the village of Pere Marquette, now the city of Lud- 

 ington, for $2.50 per bushel." 



The cherry trees, planted in 1856. have proved very profitable to the owner. 

 In 1869 the crop sold for $200. From one tree of Bigarreau twelve bushels 

 were sold, at twenty cents per quart, amounting to 876.80. 



In 1861 Eichard Hatfield planted a tree of Bigarreau cherry, which is now 

 (1886) in perfect health, measuring two feet in diameter at two feet from the 

 ground. From this tree over twelve bushels of cherries were picked in 1885. 



The oldest fruit tree in the county stands on the bluff of Lake Michigan, 

 about one mile south of Pere Marquette river. It probably sprung from 

 seed accidentally dropped or planted by the Indians. The trunk, at the 

 height of three feet, is two feet in diameter. Its age is unknown. In the 

 fall of 1856, Eichard Hatfield gathered from it twenty-eight bushels of 

 apples. An Indian living in this county, named Good John, who is more 

 than eighty years old, says he picked apples from this tree when a boy. It 

 is supposed to be above an hundred years old. 



The Mason County Agricultural Society was organized in the year 1870. 



The county lies mainly in the basin of the Pere Marquette river, but it 

 also includes those of the Great and Little Sable, which enter Lake Michi- 

 gan north of Ludington. The surface varies in height between fifty and five 

 hundred feet above the level of Lake Michigan. 



According to the census of 1884, the county had, of 



Apple orchards, 1,506 acres, 35,812 bearing trees, yielding in 1883, 9,263 

 bushels of fruit. 



Peach orchards, 306 acres, 9,347 bearing trees, yielding in 1883, 839 bushels 

 of fruit. 



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

 $13,281.00. 



Vineyards, 11 acres : grapes sold in 1883, 150 pounds. 



wine made in 1883, none. 



Nurseries, 2 acres; products sold in 1883, $150.00. 



Market garden products sold in 1883, $5,536.00. 



The Fruit Growers' Association of Mason county was organized on March 

 10th, 1882. 



Its report for that year says : There are orchards of several thousand plum 

 trees in this vicinity, our experience with which might warrant us in giving 

 our opinion as to varieties most successful h6re. We have found the follow- 

 ing among the best : Lombard, Purple Magnum Bonum, Yellow Egg, Prince 

 Englebert, Bradshaw, Coe's Golden Drop, German Prune, Pond's Seedling, 

 Canada Egg and Green Gage. We find Purple Magnum Bonum the most 

 healthy, best growing tree, and one of the best, if not the best of plums in 

 size, quality and color. Coe's Golden Drop is least liable to rot. Green Gage 

 stands next to it in this particular. 



Geo. C. McClatchie, in "A Primer of Horticulture," says, in effect: 

 That premature shedding of the leaves, curculio, and rot, are the three chief 

 obstacles to success in plum culture. Unlike apples or peaches, this fruit 

 will not succeed on lands seeded with grass or grain crops. The attempt to 

 grow plums without heavy manuring and thorough cultivation will surely 

 fail. The jarring process will lead to certain victory over the curculio. 



