EIGHTEENTH ANNUAL MEETING. 57 



place the natural protectors of the plants, the forests and wild bushes, are destroyed. 

 The wind sweeps over tlie country with fury, driving the snow before it, and exposing 

 plants to great vicissitudes of weather. If upper Michigan is to become a prosperous 

 farming country natural wind breaks must be preserved. 



The second reason for tlie more frequent injury to the cultivated plants is the fact 

 that cultivation, unless properly pursued.causesa vigorous and somewhat softer growth 

 which is unable to endure great extremes of climate. Wherever the soil is strong 

 enough, currants and gooseberries will thrive. Two or three very small plantings of 

 currants have been seen, and they are uniformly vigorous. In fact, the wild red cur- 

 rant is common in swamps, and other wild species occur. The wild gooseberry is also 

 often seen. The wild plum is found at Mio and other places in Oscoda county, and a 

 critical search would undoubtedly reveal it in other places. Both the red and yellow 

 varieties occur near Mio. At Coming's opening, on the Au Sable, a few wild plums had 

 been transplanted. The common wild plum is exceedingly variable, and it is now be- 

 ing introduced into cultivation very largely. Many improved varieties are largely cul- 

 tivated. All these will undoubtedly prove hardy and valuable here in this northern 

 country. The sand or dwarf cherry grows abundantly upon the poorest plains. Its fruit 

 is variable, but usually as large as a small grape. In flavor it is good to excellent. The 

 plant is a low and straggling bush, seldom growing over five or six feet high. It is a 

 profuse and reliable bearer. It requires no scientific training to predict that this plant 

 has a wonderful future before it. If the few inhabitants of the plains had even a 

 moiety of energy and a whit of observation, this wild cherry would be found growing 

 in every garden. At present, even the garden is usually missing. If the inhabitants want 

 anything in the line of fruit they will have the old varieties of more favorable latitudes 

 or they will have none. In this happy state of affairs their lot will be to have none. 

 The sand cherry, it is admitted, is not a Governor Wood nor a black heart, but it is good 

 and wholesome, and is capable of great improvement. It thrives in the poorest and 

 driest sand, and is not injured by any extreme of climate. Its possibilities for the 

 plains are great. Another promising plant of the plains is the wild dwarf service-berry 

 or June-berry. The fruit closely resembles a huckleberry, and the plant is often sold 

 for such by ignorant and unprincipled nurserymen. The bush is comely and attract- 

 ive, growing from four to eight feet high. Of late years it has been introduced into 

 cultivation. As soon as its merits are better known, its culture will become common 

 in all cold climates. Three species of huckleberry closely following each other in per- 

 iods of ripening, are everywhere exceedingly abundant on the plains. As soon as 

 markets become more acessible there is no doubt that these berries will become a 

 profitable crop on the barrens. It will be only necessary to inclose the land and to 

 remove other vegetation in order to grow them with profit. On the whole, the horti- 

 cultural outlook is more encouraging for our barren plains than for the rich prairies of 

 many parts of the northwest; an outlook, however, which depends upon the hope that 

 the country will never be denuded of all its forests." 



t 

 ADVANTAGES OF KOETHWEST MICHIGAN" FOR FRUIT AND VEGETABLE GROWING. 



Northern Michigan presents to me new advantages every time it is visited. 

 The neat, new school-houses deserve especial notice, as they are an index of 

 the character of the people. The fruit trees and the farming are retarded a 

 week or more in spring when situated near either one of the great lakes. 

 This has more advantages in case of fruits than at first sight might appear. 

 On June 13, 1888, at Harrisville on the margin of the lake, trees of Kentish 

 cherry were just in ilower; the same was true of the common sorts of apple, 

 Missouri currant, and dwarf phlox. The flowers of the common lilac were 

 still in the bud. 



In brief, we were surprised to find so many advantages for people of limited 

 means to start homes. We are unable to see why so many should leave Michi- 

 gan for the prairies of Dakota, and believe most of them would not thus leave 

 were they familiar with the better portions of our State. But we should not 

 be in great haste to see this State thickly settled, for our sons and grandsons 

 and their wives will soon want the cheap lands and will convert them into 

 pleasant farms. 



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