444 REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE 



From the vSpring Lake J^ursery, Johu K. Kneeland &, Co., 

 proprietors, we have received the following statement : The 

 firm owns IGl acres of land, one-half of which is in orchard, 

 nnrsery, and vineyard. This firm has 1,200 peach trees be- 

 ginning to bear, from which 1,000 baskets were shipped this 

 year; 250 apple trees now bearing; 4,000 now being added to 

 the orchard. Their vineyard contains at present 44- acres of 

 yonng vines, from which 2,500 lbs. of grapes Avere shipped. 

 Two acres were planted in small fruits. 



L. D. Bartholomew reports seven acres in peaches — orchard. 

 He shipped 125 baskets from one acre. He has 500 bearing 

 vines in his grapery, from which he had 2,000 lbs., or one ton 

 of grapes ; of raspberries he had 200 quarts. 



Hiram Beckwitli has 40 acres ; his apple orchard contains 

 150 young trees which bore 60 bushels this year; 10 bushels 

 of pears from 2 trees. Mr. Beckwitli has 600 peach trees, and 

 200 beautiful quince, three years old ; also one acre in vine- 

 yard, one-half acre in strawberries, and one-fourth of an acre 

 of raspberries. 



"W. G. Sinclair reports having sold 200 baskets of peaches, 

 40 bushels of apples, 20 bushels of raspberries, and 2,000 lbs. 

 of grapes. 



This, with most of the above orchards and vineyards, is 

 within the corporate limits of Spring Lake. 



Of the remarkably fertile portion of our State, known as the 

 '■• Fruit Belt,-' we need hardly speak, for it is familiar to all who 

 know of "My Michigan." AVhat natural causes have com- 

 bined to make this portion of the lake shore the best fruit- 

 producing district in the United States, we will not stop to argue. 

 Yet there are well-known natural and physical causes, as well 

 as Utopian theories, regarding this subject. But the fact that 

 ^^ Michigan Fruit '' is recognized as the very best, and sought 

 after in the principal markets of the United States, retained 

 on the streets of New York City, and placarded on busy cor- 

 ners at Denver; and our apples have even been shipped to 

 Liverpool this season, — this means something. 



Can we show the facts and figures to sustain our assertion 



