DECEMBER MEETING. 325 



to absorb its richness and be ready to feed the libers in early spring. So nmcli 

 for theory. 



Fruit culture pays well in this region. 



1. Land is cheap, making the first necessary investment small. Good fruit 

 land can be obtained at from $10 to $20 per acre, near market, and steamers 

 leave this city for Milwaukee, Chicago and most of the lake poi'ts, every day. 



2. The curculio does not trouble plums, and fruit generally is free from 

 insects that prove such a pest in other localities. 



3. The risk of blight from extreme cold is less along the east shore of Lake 

 Michigan than in many other places. The mercury seldom touches zero, and 

 never reaches much below, while in times of extreme cold it is always from ten 

 to twenty degrees warmer here than in Milwaukee, Chicago, or in the middle 

 and eastern portions of Micliigan. The depth of the lake prevents freezing, 

 while the warmth of its waters retards frost in the fall, and reversing the pro- 

 cess, its cold waters retard fruit buds and protect them from early frosts in the 

 spring, and the prevailing winds being from the west and southwest, this shore 

 has the full benefit of this vast weather regulator. 



The Kisden plum orchard in this city, covering about two acres of land, 

 yields from $400 to $500 worth of plums annually, and a man living a few 

 miles north of this city informs me tliat he sold the plums in Milwaukee that 

 he gathered from one tree this season for $o6. While this may be an exception, 

 it is true that the yield from an ordinary tree in ordinary seasons is sufficient 

 to bring from $5 to 15, while pears and other fruit do well. Peaches this year 

 were sold in our streets from wagons until the demand was more than supplied, 

 at $1.25 per bushel, and this has been regarded as an off year for peaches and 

 apples. Manistee probably beats the world on strawberries and other small 

 fruits. The yield is believed to be larger and the quality unsurpassed. Out of 

 the many examples of great success in small fruit culture, that have come 

 under our immediate observation, we will crave space for only two or three. S. 

 Eice, of Bear Lake, in Manistee county, cultivates less than an acre, on gravelly 

 loam soil, of strawberries. From this small patch, this year during the picking 

 season, he marketed a two-horse wagon load each day. During the season he 

 sold 100 bushels at an average of over ten cents per quart, or $320 for the pro- 

 duct of a single acre in one season. On the other hand, Chas. Hurd, Esq., 

 of this city, cultivated two acres of strawberries, with several acres of other 

 small fruits. This soil is as light sand as any in this vicinity, and he used a 

 windmill for irrigating purposes and gave his fruits careful attention. From 

 the two acres he marketed 202 bushels, with a return of over $G40. He also 

 sold fifty bushels of raspberries, and a large amount of other small fruits. 



The fruit farm of Filer & Sons is less profitable, and several others have 

 done about as well, tiiough in a smaller way. 



The culture of grapes in the vicinity is only beginning to attract attention. 

 Many fine grapes have been raised and the vines generally look well. Chas. 

 Keitz & Co., have nearly two acres in grapes which arc just beginning to bear, 

 and the vines appear promising. 



Mr. H. Dale Adams, of Galesburg, followed with a short paper entitled 



MY FLOWER GARDEN. 



There is no secrecy about it, but success is only attained by strictly observing 

 some certain indispensable rules, or, if you please, there are some that must be 

 attended to or failures will be the result. 



