WINTER MEETING, 1S79. ■ 53 



oral principles \vi]l ai)ply everywhere, at least in Michigan, and other northern 

 States, — such as importance of altitude, good soils, land and air drainage, 

 and the avoidance of low, wet, cold, or peaty lands. 



AVhere to set the orchard and other fruits is for each planter a prohlem to be 

 decided for himself, in accordance with tiie possibilities of his own situation. 

 Of what practical consequence is it to him what would be the very best location 

 imaginable, if he only had it, when, unfortunately he has it not? Yet, he still 

 should know what kind of a location is best of all, even though he has nothing 

 like it in his little home domain, as an aid toward approximating toward it so 

 far as he may. 



Of one of the common mistakes in orchard planting, I saw an example last 

 week, on the shore of Lake Michigan. This orchard was safely nestled under 

 the lee of high wooded bluffs on its west and northwest, and was also hemmed 

 in on the south and east. Thus no rude blast had ever invaded its sheltered 

 home. "Protection," had been the object sought and gained I Yes, gained 

 with a vengeance ! For mark the result: although the soil was rich the shelter 

 perfect, and the trees vigorous, yet for a score of years they have stood entirely 

 profitless and unproductive in this sheltered nook; while the owner had hun- 

 dreds of acres atop of the terrace, stretching back in a grand plateau 

 to the shore of Lake Michigan, a high table land terminating at the 

 top of the precipitous lake bank, with no sand hills or bluffs to break the free 

 play of the lake winds, unsheltered by tree or shrub. A site like the one last 

 described is perhaps the very best possible for our west shore of the State; and 

 as to exposure, in locations similar to this one, a western would be preferable 

 to any other ; although if level and high it is all right here or anywhere along 

 the east shore of Lake Michigan, yet some believe the protection afforded by 

 the tree clad and vine tangled bluffs and sand hills to be beneficial. But the 

 interruption of atmospheric drainage, the usual lowness of the situation, lying 

 under those bluffs, the frequent thawing and freezing in the sudden alterna- 

 tions of heat and cold, probably more than counterbalance tiie benefits. 



In a large portion of our State, the cold storms and protracted, blighting 

 winds of May or June — sometimes, though very rarely encountered — are from 

 the east and northeast, favoring a western exposure. In other sections this 

 danger, if it come at all, is from another direction, requiring a different expos- 

 ure. It remains for each locality to learn the quarter from which it would 

 come there, if at all, and choose the slope or exposure of best protection from 

 it. The winds, however, are so much oftener a help than a hurt to fruit- 

 growing that we must court their aid. Therefore, we find the invariable rule 

 for all Michigan is that in favor of altitude. First, last, and all the time, 

 height I This rule is a very easy one to follow in deciding your choice ; even 

 if you have no very high land take the highest and best you have, and there 

 set your fruit trees and vines, and rest assured of having chosen wisely and 

 well, for all soils except drifting sands, which none would plant. Yet it is not 

 enough that the location is high, but the surrounding lands must not be higher 

 still, with their crests and crowning forests overlooking it, and breaking its 

 circulating air currents. 



In our hilly regions farmers have a habit of leaving a border of half chopped 

 woodland belts along the swales and low openings where streams emerge from 

 valleys, perhaps by very narrow gorges which furnish the only possible chan- 

 nels for atmospheric drainage. These should by no means be left choked by 

 either forest, fruit trees, or any other obstruction, and even the protection of 

 orchard locations bv the hedge and timber belts as ordinarilv done, and as 



