416 



locality will not claim any pre-eminence in the production of this fruit, although 

 some fine apples were exhibited by our lake-shore growers. 



Grapes. — The i^remium for the best pound of grapes was awarded to John 

 W. Cook, esq., of Grand Haven, to whom belongs the credit of being the pio- 

 neer in fruit growing in this vicinity, which may be regarded as the centre of 

 lake-shore fruit culture. Mr. Cook has not only proved the adaptability of this 

 locality for peaches, but also for grapes. To the Delaware was awarded the 

 first premium, the only grape which at that period, October 3, could claim to be 

 agreeably ripe. September was this year unusually wet, and had the fair been 

 held the latter end of the month instead of the beginning, grapes would have 

 exhibited to much greater advantage, although it would have been too late for 

 peaches. A bunch of the Hartford Prolific, exhibited by J. V. Hopkins, esq., 

 of Mill Point, would have taken the second premium but for the lack of the 

 requisite quantity; as it was, the premium was awarded to Hunter Savidge, esq., 

 for a fine box of Concord, The Isabella, exhibited by the same amateur, was 

 nearly equal to the Concord. The Catawba should be placed last on the list of 

 grapes adapted to this locality. 



The exhibition may be said to have placed the old established grapes for this 

 section in the following order, the earliest being placed first: The Delaware, 

 Hartford Prolific, Concord, Isabella, Clinton, Catawba. The most recent varie- 

 ties, lona, Israella, Diana, &c., not being on exhibition, cannot be said to have 

 been fully tested in this locality. We have, however, seen at Mr. Cook's res- 

 idence, in Grand Haven, a very fine specimen of the Diana, which shows that 

 it is a good grape here, althgugh its relative earliness will not, we think, place 

 it higher in the list than the Concord or Isabella. 



The premium for the best exhibition of grapes was awarded to Hunter Sav- 

 idge, who, we believe, exhibited all the varieties in the above list. This gentle- 

 man, in connection with his partner, D wight Cutler, esq., of Grand Haven, has 

 a vineyard of about three-fourths of an acre on the south shore of Spring lake, 

 with a decided inclination towards the north, and a blind fence on the west. 

 For perfect neatness and trim we have never seen the equal of this model vine- 

 yard. Its trellises run north and south, and are about seven and a half feet in 

 height. Not a blade of grass or a weed of any kind is visible among the vines. 

 and the whole is raked as even as a newly made seed-bed. The production of 

 this little vineyard four years after planting was about S800 worth of grapes — 

 one year ago. The yield this year has been fully equal in quantity, we believe, 

 although the price is probably less, in consequence of the prevalence of the 

 cholera in Chicago, the best market for this region of country. 



There are numerous other vineyards in different stages of growth, and in an- 

 other year the competition among lake-shore grape-growers will become quite 

 sharp and interesting. Considerable tracts of land are being cleared for vine- 

 yards, and the eastern shore of Lake Michigan bids fair to rival, in a few years, 

 the famous southern shore of Lake Erie. Grape-growers from Ohio have visited 

 this locality and expressed the opinion that it is preferable to their own section, 

 in consequence of the superior protection on the north side, which is furnished 

 by a dense growth of evergreen timber. The fact that Lake Michigan never 

 wholly freezes over, and that the prevailing winds are southwest, west, and 

 northwest, gives this locality a decided advantage for grape culture. 



Teaches. — The premiums for the best exhibition of peaches were taken by 

 Mr. Lovell and Mr. Eames, the former of Mill Point, and the latter of Ferrys- 

 burg, a village on the opposite side of Spring lake. The early and late Craw- 

 fords and the Stump the World could not be excelled by anything we have ever 

 seen from North Carolina, Delaware, or New Jersey, in the New York markets. 



The shores of this little inland lake are becoming the favorite resort of fruit- 

 growers. Peaches and grapes appear to grow here with equal success and 

 profit. The peach orchard of Mr. Lovell is a model of its kind. It contains 



