72 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



finely and bade fair to be a great source of comfort to their owners; but 

 the great fires of 1871 destroyed a larger part of the trees, and the people 

 were left in bad shape. In the ten years of prosperity that followed, trees 

 were replanted and many fine young orchards were started, when the fires 

 of 1881 swept over the country again, and destroyed most of the young 

 orchards and some of the older ones that escaped the fires of 1871. Now 

 there are a few of the old orchards, some of those planted between '71 and 

 '81, and many new young orchards, throughout the county. Every year 

 large additions are made, of apples, pears, and plums, a few peaches, and 

 some other kinds of fruit. 



Plums have done remarkably well, and as a crop for profit have taken 

 the lead until this year, when apple trees everywhere were loaded with 

 fruit. Buyers came in from all parts, and Mr. Wm. R. Stafford of Port 

 Hope writes me that one buyer told him that his company bought and 

 shipped, from points along the bay shore of Tuscola and Huron counties, 

 forty thousand barrels of apples. 



These counties seem to be better adapted to fruitgrowing than the 

 country further south, probably on account of a dryer and gravelly soil, 

 and more snow on the ground in winter. There is a section on the bay 

 shore, about Sebewaing, partly in Tuscola and partly in Huron county, 

 that is well adapted to grape culture, and many tons of grapes find their 

 way into the Saginaw market yearly. Quinces are grown to some extent, 

 and the small fruits thrive everywhere. 



Thus far I think that very little scientific work has been done in the 

 way of selection of varieties adapted to the locality, and in special care of 

 trees. Agents have brought in and sold whatever they could induce peo- 

 ple to buy, without reference to adaptability. 



I have not heard of any one who has followed out any line of experi- 

 'ments in the way of combating insects or diseases, of either fruit or tree, 

 and I hardly think that very many have given their orchards any special 

 cultivation. 



There is need that this society should extend its benign influence over 

 all of this territory, and teach the people how to care for and preserve the 

 productiveness of their orchards, and to select the best varieties for new 

 plantations. . 



The future of fruitgrowing on the end of "the thumb" will undoubtedly 

 be a bright one. I have never made a personal examination of the soil, 

 but from what it has done under all of the adverse circumstances, it must 

 be well adapted to the growth of most" varieties. If I were to advise or 

 give my opinion on fruits that would give the most profit, I should say 

 plums. For quality and quantity of this fruit, I know of no locality where 

 I would prefer to plant plums. Next I should plant pears. It would be 

 a question whether apples or peaches should rank third in the list. So, if 

 my soil was dry, and I intended to give good care, I should plant both. I 

 would have my apple trees thirty-three feet apart each way, and peaches 

 between, both ways, making three peach trees to one apple. I would, next 

 in the list, plant cherries of the new and more hardy sorts — Montmorenci, 

 Empress Eugenie, Late Duke, or something of that kind. I have never 

 seen any black-knot among these varieties. 



In arranging my grounds I should certainly prepare a place for quinces, 

 •and a few of the best varieties of crab-apple. These are very fine in this 

 locality and would bring a good price in market when those from other 

 places would not sell. 



