74 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



down the lakes. My informant says that it was no uncommon thing to see 

 eight or ten two-horse loads in line, coming in, and buyers were therefrom 

 Buffalo, Cleveland, Detroit, and other places, during the season. 



This may truthfully be called the fruit of the barren plains. Perhaps 

 these berries may be improved by being protected or even cultivated on 

 their natural soil, the pine plains. 



Large quantities of wild blackberries were shipped from Cheboygan, and 

 strawberries and raspberries were plentiful. 



Cheboygan is 240 miles in a straight line north of this place. The win- 

 ters are long and severe, but the ground is protected by the snow. From 

 reports, it would seem that they raise fruits in Cheboygan which are tender 

 in St. Clair county. 



In conclusion, I would say that we have passed over a coast line of 300 

 miles from Port Huron, bordering on lake Huron and Saginaw bay. Along 

 the whole of this distance, apples, pears, and plums are produced, of the 

 finest quality. All kinds of small fruits may be cultivated with profit 

 along the whole line. At least one third of the distance the cultivation of 

 apples, plums, and pears may be called one of the leading industries. Over 

 one half of the distance is favorable to the hardy varieties of the peach, to 

 a certain extent, and truck-gardening may be followed at any point over the 

 entire distance. 



In Huron and north part of Sanilac, the quince succeeds well; unless 

 there should be a change in climatic conditions, grapes will be profitable 

 about Sebewaing on the Saginaw bay shore. 



Cranberries may be cultivated northward from Bay City, where land is 

 found to be favorable ; and if any means may be devised for the cultivation 

 of whortleberries, it may become an important industry on the worth- 

 less sand plains. I think this is a matter that should be experimented on, 

 as it would bring into use a vast tract of land of no use even for pasturage. 



AT SOUTH HAVEN. 



Mr. Monroe : The general conditions about South Haven have been well 

 covered by Mr. Sessions and Mr. Wiley, except as to the apple, and that 

 has been well described by Mr. Edmiston. As to the peach, the spring 

 gave great assurance of a full, even an excessive, crop; but the long con- 

 tinued wet weather caused failure in the orchards we thought best of all — 

 those nearest the lake. After good weather came, we thought we might 

 get one third of a crop, say 100,000 fifth baskets; but this estimate was 

 overrun by the shipments until 200,000 baskets were reached. This was 

 in part due to the yield of new orchards. The township south of us 

 furnished from 40,000 to 50,000 baskets, from young orchards of men who 

 have been thorough and intelligent in their methods. This has caused 

 renewed and great interest in setting new plantations which gives promise 

 of reproduction there of the great crops sent from Fennville in former 

 years. Some old growers have become discouraged from one cause or 

 another, but on the whole there is quite as much interest in horticulture 

 as ever. The trees, vines, and plants have all gone into the winter in 

 excellent condition, except those of the careless cultivators. Apple trees, 

 however, are not in a hopeful state because of their suffering by attacks of 

 fungi upon the foliage. 



