STATUS AXD TEXDENCIES IN RURAL LIFE 453 



sources. The best farming area is in the eastern 

 section of the island. Its agricultural development 

 is, however, backward. Beaver Island, in northern 

 Lake Michigan, has had a more distinctive agricul- 

 tural history. In the fifth decade of the last century 

 it was the site of a IMormon colony, come hither 

 from Wisconsin, which during the regime .of "King" 

 James Jesse Strang, had established a flourishing 

 agriculture there. Eventually the Mormons got into 

 difficulties with their neighbors, chiefly the fisher- 

 men of that part of the lake, and were dispersed 

 after the assassination of their quondam "king." 

 Some of their descendants are said to be residing 

 still on Drummond Island but without any religious 

 affiliation with Mormonism. Agriculture on Beaver 

 Island today is reported to be in a degenerate state. 

 Soil conditions on Beaver Island are variable, light 

 sands and clays occupying its surface, with good 

 arable land in the interior. The surface is quite level 

 with a tendency to undulation. Some of the eleva- 

 tions once bore such Biblical designations as "Mount 

 Pisgah," in IMormon days, while the island had its 

 "Sea of Galilee" and "Eiver Jordan." There is con- 

 siderable swamp land on the island and artificial 

 drainage is necessary. 



Agricultural conditions on the Manitou Island of 

 Lake Michigan are reported to be above the average. 

 One observer states that the farmers are up-to-date 

 and that the yield of potatoes and other crops was, 

 in 1919, above the average on the mainland. Here 

 the Michigan Agricultural College has had a plan- 



