MICHIGA]Sr STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 427 



this stroug soil would produce if fairly treated. We notice 

 that there are several drain-tile factories near Monroe, and 

 that is CAddence that the work of improvement is going on in 

 some portions of the county. 



At Point de Peau, the company who have undertaken to es- 

 tablish a vineyard originally purchased the location as a place 

 for private residence for themselves during the summer seasoi5, 

 but were incited to the attempts to make a vineyard by the 

 success which had atttended grape-growing on the islands. 

 Here was a location almost insular, with the soil equally as 

 good, if not superior, and with all the influence of climate in 

 its favor. When we visited this place on the 21st of this 

 month, the frosts that had ripened the grapes about Monroe^ 

 and had stripped the vines of their leaves, had not been felt; 

 we found tomatoes green and growing, the vines still covered 

 with leaves that hatl as much green as brown in their color. Even 

 beans that had been late planted were in flower, and had not 

 been touched. At Monroe and inland the grape crop had all 

 been gathered, and the vintage was over; and at some of the 

 wine-making establishments, the whole work of the season 

 was completed. Mr. J. M. Sterling has a small vineyard at 

 Monroe, and there the grapes were all gathered, and the last 

 of the gathering was just put in the press. 



THE SOIL. 



The soil here is a mellow clay loam, containing much lime. 

 It is from twenty to thirty inches in depth, and rests on the 

 limestone rock, which is much broken up and forms a natural 

 drainage, that renders the surface soil dry and warm. Professor 

 E. A. Foote, of Ann Arbor, found quantities of celestine, 

 strontianite, white calcite, and carbonate of lime in the speci- 

 mens he examined during a visit he made here last year. 



THE PLANTATION 



at present includes about twenty-five acres, but the whole is 

 not planted with grapes. The grapes have been set out from 

 five to six years, and are well established. The vines are set in 



