NURSERY OF FRUIT AND ORNAMENTAL TREES.

Mr. E. A. McClare has established a nursery for fruit and ornamental trees within a mile of Benton Harbor village. The establishment is called "Spring Vale Nurseries." We have never seen a finer stock of three-year-old apple trees than we saw on this nursery. They consist of Baldwin, Red Canada, and other favorite varieties. He has 3,000 Black Naples currants, and a good assortment of small fruits. His stock of evergreens for screens and ornamental purposes is quite extensive, and consists of Spruce, Arbor Vitæ, Hemlock, Scotch and Austrian Pines; also American and European Larch, Mountain Ash, Weeping Willow, and other ornamental trees. Mr. McClare also distils pepperment oil. One of the finest screen hedges we have ever seen, we saw growing on Mr. McClare's grounds. It was formed of small Hemlocks transplanted from the forest into nursery rows, and thence into a hedge, being planted about eight inches apart in the rows. It had grown in three years about three feet high, and as thick as Arbor Vitæ or Cedar.

Mr. Archer has established, about a mile south of St. Joseph, a nursery and greenhouse. We heard his show of plants and flowers very highly praised.

GENERAL ESTIMATE OF THE ST. JOSEPH FRUIT REGION.

On the whole, I regard the St. Joseph Fruit Region, which includes Benton Harbor and all the towns named at the head of this article, as a most complete demonstration of the success of fruit culture in Michigan. It is claimed that a total failure of the fruit crop has not occurred, except after the extremely cold winter of 1864, and although the peach crop does not always grow so abundantly as it has the season of 1874, taking one season with another, it is as sure as almost any fruit crop is any where, either in Europe or America, while the grape crop is as sure as corn and potatoes, with the variety mostly cultivated, the Concord. The soil in the limits mentioned is so varied as to render it difficult to describe, for on the same farm will be found sand, sandy loam, rich black soil, loam and clay, each being adapted for particular kinds of fruit and vegetables, rendering the fruit farmer capable of producing fruit for market, commencing his harvest with strawberries the first week in June, and continuing with raspberries, currants, gooseberries, cherries, summer apples, early peaches. late peaches, grapes, fall and winter apples, until the frosts and storms of December render shipment by lake dangerous. As we left the region, September 30th, late peaches were being brought into Benton Harbor and St. Joseph, some in baskets, some in open wagon, like potatoes; and winter apples were just beginning to make their appearance by the wagon load. They were being packed in barrels ready for shipment when the peaches shall have been all landed on the other side. The peach trees we examined in this region, especially the Crawfords, did not, at that early period, exhibit a large proportion of fruit buds, although more would undoubtedly be developed. but if, after the heavy crop of this season, the trees should be allowed to rest, it would perhaps be best for the future of the orchards, giving each tree an opportunity to renew its youth and prepare for future seasons similar to this, when

"The breath of orchard big with bending fruit,
Obedient to the breeze and beating ray,
From the deep loaded bough a mellow shower
Incessant melts away. The juicy peach

Lies, in a soft prolusion, scattered round."

SECOND ARTICLE.

SOUTH HAVEN, DEERFIELD, BANGOR, ARLINGTON, GENEVA, COLUMBIA, GRAND JUNCTION, BREEDSVILLE, BEAR LAKE, BLOOMINGDALE, PINE GROVE, CASCO, LEE.

CHARACTER OF THE LAKE SHORE.

Twenty miles north of St. Joseph harbor, on Lake Michigan, Black River enters the lake, forming at the mouth quite a good sized harbor for steamers and lake shore traders. From Benton Harbor to within three or four miles of this harbor, the shore is lined with sand hills, mostly covered on the east side. with forest, not much settled, but presenting many good sites for fruit-growing. These hills terminate in a fine level bluff of clay subsoil and sandy and gravelly loam, interspersed with clay and rich black vegetable mould, averaging perhaps 40 feet above the lake. This is, with slight variations, the character of the lake shore from four miles south of Black River to Douglas, near the Kalamazoo River.

THE VILLAGE OF SOUTH HAVEN.

The busy, thrifty village of South Haven is erected on both sides of the harbor, although the main business portion is on the south side.

THE LAND GRADATIONS.

The general lay of the land is a slight depression along the east side of the lake buff; the descent, however, is gradual, and not usually precipitous. From this depression the land rises gradually from one-half mile to a mile, forming a summit about one hundred feet altitude above Lake Michigan. This summit runs along the lake shore, varying in distance from one to two miles from the lake, but the elevation is so gradual as to be almost imperceptible while traveling the roads that run over the ridge, and yet the rise is sufficient to secure excellent drainage for air and water, and a fine exposure to the lake breezes. On the east side of this summit is another gradual slope, forming excellent eastern exposure for vineyards, and farther east is another ridge formed in a similar manner by a gradual rise towards a summit and a slope to the east. At the lowest point between each of these ridges is a water course, forming arms of the Black River which constitute the natural drainage of the country. This whole country (from some four miles south of Black River to near the mouth of the Kalamazoo River), is a remarkably fine fruit region, and so well settled by general, as well as fruit farmers, that it is difficult to draw the line between what may be called the South Haven and the Saugatuck region. We have found, however, that farmers north of Casco usually ship at Saugatuck, although some of them ship at South Haven and some at Plummerville or Perottet's pier. At no point along the lake shore, from St. Joseph to Muskegon, have we seen so much good farming land, suitable for every description of produce, and so well calculated to maintain the peach in vigor for an indefinite period of time.

MILDEW IN GRAPES.

We noticed a tendency to mildew in the tender varieties of grapes wherever the drainage appeared imperfect. Even where it was supposed to be underdrained, some mildew appeared, but we are inclined to believe that an examination would prove the drains to be choked with roots or otherwise obstructed where mildew prevailed extensively. The Concord grape was almost the only variety that was entirely free from a tendency to mildew in this region, although all the other kinds usual in Michigan are grown successfully, and efforts are being made to grow the Walter, the Croton, the Creveling, and the Agawam, with varied success.

THE FARMS.

Scattered throughout the towns and villages named at the head of this article are farms of from 10 to 200 acres, devoted partially to fruit, as their most profitable feature, while the other branches of farming are successfully carried on, and in some, the vegetables, such as tomatos, potatoes, onions, cabbage, beets, and even sweet potatoes and yams, are grown of great size and of excellent quality.

PARK AND HORTICULTURAL HALL.

On the north side of the river is a fine grove, which the village authorities have set apart for a park for the use of the citizens, and on this is erected a horticultural hall, 44x96 feet, in which we saw such a display of fruits, vegetables, and general farm produce as would do credit to any old settled country. The best display and greatest variety of fruit came from Mr. Gregory's farm at Kendal's, on the Kalamazoo & South Haven Railroad, about 20 miles east of South Haven. Mr. Gregory has an elevated position for his fruit farm, which gives him a great advantage, and being a careful cultivator, he deservedly won the premium for the best display of fruit. His pears, apples, and even peaches were admirable.

SPECIMEN FARMS.

Among the best fruit farms of this region is that of Hon. A. S. Dyckman, President of the State Pomological Society and member of the State Board of Agriculture. It consists of 65 acres within or adjoining South Haven. Last year when peaches were a very short crop in most places, even along the lake shore, Mr. Dyckman had an excellent crop for which he obtained high prices, aggregating over $10,000 net. This year he has a similar crop, but prices ruling lower will not net quite as much. He is not only a careful cultivator, but is particular in employing a large force to thin his growing crop, thereby securing large size peaches which command at all times the best prices. He thus prevents injury to his trees by over-bearing. His land is on the first ridge spoken of, and is somewhat broken, with a small creek and gully which gives variety of surface, soil, and situation for various crops. His trees look remarkably thrifty. As soon as symptoms of the Yellows appear, he is careful to remove the affected tree, plants another peach tree in its place, having no confidence in the doctrine advanced by some growers, that a peach tree will not flourish where an old peach tree has been removed.

On the bluff, exposed to the lake, is the fruit farm of Mr. J. E. Bidwell. Here we found a great variety of grapes planted for experiment. The Croton is planted quite extensively, but its appearance does not indicate success, being

greatly affected with mildew. The Walter, as here shown, is similar to the Delaware, and did not appear to be mildewed. Only one vine, however, and probably the grapes not full sized. Figs were growing here quite luxuriantly, chiefly enclosed with a blind board fence. But we saw a row of the fig trees in an exposed situation looking green and thrifty. Mr. Bidwell's peach trees, more especially the Smocks, had been seriously damaged, by breaking down with an over-load of fruit, which at this time, 2d of October, was still on the trees. The fruit looked well, being exposed to sun and air. Mr. Bidwell also keeps a large number of bees, which he regards as more profitable than fruit. His honey sells well, and is much sought after.

THE WILLIAMS' FRUIT DRYING PROCESS.

The Williams' orchard is on the first ridge, about a mile east of the lake, and presented many features of interest, but the object of our visit was to examine the Williams' process of drying fruit, which we found in practical operation. This is carried on in an enclosed building about twenty feet high and four feet square, with a furnace at bottom and on one side, with a hot air chamber. Within this tower are two endless chains running over pulleys at the top. On these chains hang, at suitable intervals, frames on which are trays of prepared fruit. The trays are wooden frames, three feet by eighteen inches, covered with mosquito net, so that the hot air has the greatest freedom of circulation. By means of a crank, the chains and suspended frames are moved up on one side and down on the other, so as to present each tray at the opening on the side, where the fruit can be examined and taken out when sufficiently dried. This machine, which costs $350, will dry twenty bushels of apples in twelve hours. Peaches take as long again. Mr. Williams explained to us the difference between the Alden and the Williams' process, as follows: Alden claims a super-maturing process; Williams claims to stop the maturing the first thing, and if decomposition has commenced, as in very ripe fruit, his process stops it at once. Alden takes the fruit out of the moist air at the top, while Williams takes it out of dry air below, near the hot air chamber. Mr. Williams exhibited to us very fine specimens of dried peaches, apples. plums, cherries, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, squash, etc., in which the original flavor of the article is wonderfully preserved. There appeared no difference in the result obtained between this simple, inexpensive process and that attained by the expensive methods of the great Alden factories.

THE BIDWELL DRYING MACHINE.

The Bidwell drying machine, on the Bidwell farm above mentioned, is yet more simple than the Williams, and what is better, it is automatic in its operation, and can be left to perform its work after being wound up like a clock. It consists of two wheels of sufficient diameter to permit a frame of trays to swing about every two feet, operating in a similar manner to the " roundabouts" on which children delight to ride at fairs. When one basket of little folks is elevated, the opposite basket is at the bottom. So it is with the frames of trays on which the prepared fruit is placed. These trays are made of sheets of tin cut like gridirons. The whole machine is enclosed in a round sheet iron box. or covering, which is supplied with hot air by means of a furnace and air chamber. The fruit is pared and placed on the movable trays, which are swung in the wheel so as to balance each other. The opening is on one side, while the wheel, and consequently the suspended fruit, is kept constantly

revolving in hot air by means of a weight regulated by a pendulum, which secures slow, regular motion. This revolution of the fruit through the hot air secures an even temperature and avoids one portion of the charge of fruit being dried sooner or more than the other. Mr. Bidwell exhibited a smaller machine at the fair, which could be placed over a common cooking stove. The large machine, capable of drying twelve bushels a day, can be erected for $100, while the small domestic machine costs $50.

CO-OPERATIVE NURSERY.

The South Haven fruit growers know the advantages of cooperation. They have not only a flourishing pomological society, and a fine, capacious horticultural hall, put they have organized the "Michigan Lake Shore Nursery Association," with a capital stock of $50,000, of which Hou. T. T. Lyon, the distinguished Pomologist, is the president; Chas. J. Monroe, cashier of the First National Bank of South Haven, is the treasurer, and A. T. Linderman, the first Secretary of the State Pomological Society, superintendent and secretary. They have secured ample land in the immediate vicinity of South Haven for an extensive Nursery, embracing all the varieties of soil, elevation, aspect, and proximity to the lake, which so eminently distinguish the South Haven fruit region. They have started already with grape vines, fruit and ornamental trees, and are ready to fill orders. Their Concord, Delaware, and Ionia grapes look remarkably thrifty and free from mildew. Their stock of trees look well for the time they have been started. In two or three years they will have abundance of all the varieties desirable for the lake shore, of their own raising. They make a specialty of the fruits recommended by the Michigan State Pomological Society. Mr. Linderman's system of nursery accounts, constitute a model of simplicity and accuracy, enabling any stockholder to learn at any moment what each block of trees, vines, or plants cost, beyond the general expenses of running the establishment. The advantage to fruit growers of having a nursery of their own managed by men of character and experience cannot be over-estimated.

FRUIT BASKETS AND CRATES.

Messrs. Garnett & Stowell have a basket manufactory here that turned out about 60,000 peach baskets this season, also 101.000 quart berry boxes. President Dyckman uses the peck basket, but so constructed as to place a hoop two inches wide on the top, instead of a cover. He packs six of these baskets in a crate made of two boards securely bolted together so as to hold the baskets. between them, the wide hoop on the top of each basket preventing the crate from crushing the peaches. These crates are returned.

SMALL FRUITS.

We visited the fine small fruit farm of Messrs. Wiggles with & Histed on the north side of Black river and along the lake shore. These growers had immense crops of grapes, both Concord and Delaware. They grow great quantities of strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries, and have besides, a good peach orchard.

ESTIMATED NUMBER OF FARMS.

In the towns connected with the South Haven region we estimate about 200 fruit farms. We never saw men better satisfied with what they are doing than are the farmers of this favored region.