415 



THE EASTERN SHORE OF LAKE MICHIGAN. 



The lake regions of the Uuited States are becoming yearly more prominent 

 in wine and fruit production. Their climatic superiority for such culture has 

 long been manifest to scientific observers, and is now becoming successfully 

 tested in practice. The following paragraphs relative to a section of the eastern 

 shore of Lake Michigan are from a communication from Henry S. Clubb, secre- 

 tary of the Grand Haven Hwticultural Association : 



The general character of the eastern shore of Lake ]\[iehigan, for from six to 

 ten miles east of the lake, is saifdy, and close to the lake the white sand is whirled 

 into the most ftintastic shapes by the lake storms, in some cases forming hills 

 almost as white as snow, and running from two to four hundi'ed feet above the 

 level of the lake. These hills are partially covered with forest trees, ronsLsting 

 of pine, hemlock, beech, maple, and oak, with a small growth of cedar, and in 

 the valleys black oak is occasionally to be found. 



Most of these hills are full of roots (apparently growing from the solid ground 

 beneath) of a wild grape-vine, which sometimes produces a small black grape, 

 of no particular value where cultivated varieties can be obtained. The highest 

 hills have a strong growth of these vines at their summits, and consequently the 

 roots must in some cases be from 200 to 400 feet in length, keeping pace in 

 their growth with the white sand on the hill. 



Back from the sand-hills are numerous small lakes, or bayous, varying from 

 one to six miles in extent, around which are sloping banks of sand, with here 

 and there a substratum of white marl. In some of the small valleys there is an 

 occasional swamp of black soil. This, however, is a scarce article in this sandy 

 region, and such spots are held at higii prices, being adapted for market gaa'den- 

 ing or meadow-land. Around the small lakes, on the sloping banks, and on the 

 table-land of only moderate elevation, the peach and the grape appear to have 

 found their natural position, and lands which a few years ago would not sell at 

 five dollars an acre now command from ten to fifty dollars per acre, and in close 

 proximity to shipping ports much higher rates. 



Corn is seldom grown here in large quantities, and neither wheat nor grass 

 can be obtained, except on the rare spots above mentioned, in sufficient quanti- 

 ties to make their cultivation profitable. Rye and buckwheat are more suc- 

 cessful. 



The growth of peaches along this sbore was, we believe, commenced at St. 

 Joseph, Berrien county, about fifteen years ago, and the success of the experi- 

 ment there has been the means of extending the peach cultui'e along the lake 

 shore as far as Manistee, and expeiience has shown that in some seasons, when 

 St. Joseph fails to obtain a crop, the more northern localities succeed beyond 

 all expectation. The season just past has shown this in a remarkable degree, 

 and the theory explaining it is that while St. Joseph is so located that the pre- 

 vailing wind, the southwest, only passes over a small portion of the lake, and 

 that portion frozen, the wind from the same direction at Grand Haven, and 

 north of here, sweeps over the surface of the unfrozen lake for a distance of one 

 hundred miles, and is thus modified in its temperature. Our meteorological 

 friends here record, in the •;everest winters, several degrees in favor of Grand 

 Haven over the temperature of St. Joseph. 



The Lake Shore Horticultural Association held an exhibition or fiiir last 

 month, and to show what kinds of fruits are the most successful in this locality 

 a brief report of the awards of the committee on fruits is given below. 



Applies. — The premium for the largest variety of apples was taken by Judge 

 Hathaway, of Nunica, a village east of the sandy lake shore region, so that this 



