MANISTEE COUNTY. 367 



The culture of grapes is only beginning to attract attention, but the pros- 

 pect is promising. 



The report of the Manistee Horticultural Society for 1883 was mainly com- 

 prised in an interesting and useful paper on " Flowering Shrubs," by Edwin 

 Kussell. 



In "A Brief of Horticulture in Michigan," J. V. P. Mukantz, secretary 

 of the Manistee Horticultural Society, says the crops of peaches, though yet 

 small, have commanded excellent prices. E. G. Filer is the largest grower. 

 His orchards are on sandy soil. 



Wm. Probert, in the northern part of the county, is on sandy loam. He 

 considers peaches to be the most profitable crop he raises. 



In 18G8 to '70 several orchards of five to ten acres each were planted, but 

 a subsequent intensely severe winter killed the trees and subdued the ^' peach 

 fever." 



Lands adapted to peach growing are plenty at from $4 to $10 per acre. 



Edwin Eussell says of grapes and grape growing : In our short, cool sum- 

 mers only the earlier varieties are sure to ripen, such as Tallman, Janesville, 

 Concord, Delaware and Massasoit. Mildew is rarely troublesome. 



App M. Smith says : Early Richmond is the standard cherry. Strawber- 

 ries yield wonderfully and are of the highest quality. Raspberries, black- 

 berries and gooseberries are abundantly successful. 



Moses Hurlburt says plum culture is eminently successful under good cul- 

 tivation, although the curculio is becoming troublesome. 



Contributions to the State exhibit at the New Orleans Cotton Centennial 

 Exposition, during the winter of 1883 and '84, were made by M. Hurlburt, 

 J. E. Cady, S. Rice, Albert Erb, George R. Pierce and J. McDiarmid, and in 

 most, if not all cases, the entries to be made were jjrescribed, but the failure 

 of the management to provide the promised ''^cold storage," resulted in so 

 great a loss of specimens that when the time for their exhibition arrived 

 many, especially of the larger entries prescribed, had become no longer pos- 

 sible, and those in charge were compelled to exercise their own discretion, in 

 making such entries as were yet practicable. 



Upon the entries made premiums were awarded in Manistee county: — 



To J. McDiarmid, Bear Lake, 15.00 for best plate of Bailey Sweet; to S. 

 Rice, Bear Lake, $5.00 for best plate of Rhode Island Greening. 



According to the census of 1884, Manistee county had of apple orchards 

 1,219 acres, 27,743 bearing trees, yielding, in 1883, 5,372 bushels of fruit. 



Peach orchards, 27 acres, 1,325 bearing trees, yielding in 1883, 479 bushels 

 of fruit. 



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

 $10,246.00. 



Vineyards, 3 acres : grapes sold in 1883, 500 pounds. 



wine made in 1883, 100 gallons. 



Nurseries, none. 



Market garden products sold in 1883, $6,819.00. 



