372 GENERAL HISTORY. 



State. Its elevation above the waters of the great lakes varies from six hun- 

 dred to one thousand feet. 



Little is believed to have been done toward the settlement and improvement 

 of the county prior to the opening of the railroad. According to the Detroit 

 Tribune of May 13th, 1887, a Crawford County Agricultural Society was 

 organized during the early part of that year. 



The census of 1884 indicates that the work of development has but fairly 

 commenced. Of apple orchards it had but 23 acres, 43 bearing trees, yield- 

 ing in 1883. 10 bushels of fruit. 



Of peach orchards, none, 6 bearing trees, but without yield in 1883. 



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

 $4.00. 



Vineyards, none. 



Nurseries, none. 



Market garden products sold in 1883, 81,452.00. 



KALKASKA COUNTY. 



This was laid off and named Wabassee county by Legislative enactment, 

 approved April 1st, 1840. The name was changed to Kalkaska by an act 

 approved March 8th, 1843. The county was organized in pursuance of an 

 act approved January 27th, 1871. 



The county seat is at Kalkaska, a village on the line of the Grand Eapids 

 and Indiana Eailroad, which passes through the western and^ northwestern 

 portion of the county. 



The county lies wholly upon the western slope of the State. The Manistee 

 river passes through its eastern and southern parts, on its way to Lake Mich- 

 igan. Boardman river traverses the central and western portions to the west- 

 ern arm of Grand Traverse bay ; and Eapid river, after watering the northern 

 towns, enters Torch river, near the foot of Torch lake. The elevation of the 

 county above the waters of Lake Michigan varies from two hundred to seven 

 hundred feet. 



The county contains much excellent land, and since the construction of the 

 Grand Eapids and Indiana Eailroad supplied a convenient outlet, both agri- 

 culture and horticulture have developed quite rapidly, although the county 

 as a whole is yet decidedly new, and much more time is needful to develop 

 large results, especially those of a horticultural character. 



In 1886 James Greaceu, judge of probate in this county, and also corre- 

 spondent of the Department of Agriculture at Washington, states in substance 

 as follows: — 



" Vegetables of all kinds are very successful, excepting only tomatoes, 

 which require a longer season in which to ripen. Orchard culture has hardly 

 been successful so far. Some persons have replanted two or three times. 

 Trees, after doing nicely for several years, would die out during an unusually 

 severe winter. Often the cause seems to be too thorough or too late cultiva- 

 tion, with a consequent late growth, and wood but imperfectly matured for 

 the winter.*' 



In the spring of 1880 he (Mr. Greacen) planted nine hundred pear trees. 



