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GENERAL ADVANTAGES OF THE REGION.

We confess that South Haven possesses in a remarkable degree that combination of advantages for fruit growing which are seldom found in any one location; all the varieties of soil, altitude, aspect, and situation; open lake breezes, unobstructed, except by occasional wind-breaks of evergreens; generally good natural drainage, both atmospheric and hydrostatic, a wonderfully mild and even climate, both rail and water facilities for shipment, and above all, an intelligent, and for all practical purposes, a united co-operative community. The poet, Thompson, seems to have had some such places as we saw in South Haven in his mind when he wrote:

"Here, as I steal along the sunny shore,

Where Autumn basks, with fruit empurpled deep,

My pleasing theme continual prompts my thought,
Presents the downy peach, the shining plum,
The ruddy, fragrant nectarine, and dark,
Beneath his ample leaf, the luscious fig.

The vine, too, here her curling tendrils shoots,
Hangs o'er her clusters glowing to the south,
And scarcely wishes for a warmer sky."

Had the poet stood where I stood, on the west side of Mr. Bidwell's orchard, on the edge of the bluff, with the broad expanse of waters rippling in the sunshine, the vast bay, of which South Haven harbor is the center, the bold shore reaching to the St. Joseph on the south, and the Kalamazoo on the north, and the still bolder promontories of those rivers, each "twenty miles away," but plainly visible in the clear air, he would have been more charmed with the scene than he ever was with the scenery of the "sylvan Thames," and when it is remembered that this is but the foreground of a country so rich in all the elements of successful agriculture, horticulture, and commerce, interspersed with homes of comfort, intelligence, refinement, and in some instances of elegance, there is no wonder that contentment, home pride and local patriotism are so generally manifested among the people.

THIRD ARTICLE.

SAUGATUCK, DOUGLAS, GANGES, PLUMMERVILLE, PIER COVE, CLYDE, MANLIUS, FENNVILLE, RICHMOND, LAKETOWN, SINGAPORE.

THE KALAMAZOO RIVER AND LAKE.

About twenty miles north of South Haven, and directly opposite Racine, Wis., the Kalamazoo, one of the largest rivers of Michigan, enters the great lake. At the mouth is the little village of Singapore. Proceeding up the river, the course, for a mile or more, is almost directly north. Then a sudden bend and the river winds romantically through hills covered with forest, about two miles, in a southerly direction, opening on the beautiful Kalamazoo Lake,

which is nearly surrounded by land of varied elevation, which, being partially cleared of the primeval forest, is now scattered over in a picturesque manner with buildings: little churches, large school-houses, and numerous dwellings, streets some thirty or forty feet higher than the others, where are stores and factories, lumber mills and wharf-houses. That scattering of buildings on the north side of the lake is the romantic village of Saugatuck. That on the south side of the lake glories in the name of Douglas. The lake, which in fact, is an irregular enlargement of the Kalamazoo river, constitutes the harbor, and both villages are important shipping places for lumber and fruit, the principal productions of the adjacent country. Saugatuck, although not more than a mile from Lake Michigan in a direct line, is nearly three miles from it by the circuitous route of the Kalamazoo river. The hills, some two hundred feet high, form a good protection from lake storms, and a background to the village scenery, which greatly enhances its effect.

THE LAKE shore.

These hills terminate the long, almost level shore which characterizes the country south, 24 miles in extent, and they continue north to Black Lake, Holland Harbor cutting off the farms from the immediate proximity to the lake and forming a natural wind-break, but producing a frosty line immediately west of the hills where the ground is often low and imperfectly drained. The fruit growing is therefore more inland.

IN SAUGATUCK.

In the village of Saugatuck, Rev. J. F. Taylor of the Congregational Church, takes an active interest in fruit and vegetable culture. He agreed with our estimate that there were about 200 fruit growers in the towns and villages at the head of this article, which constitute the Saugatuck fruit region. Mr. Taylor has a bearing orchard of about 300 trees. On an acre of land in the village he has raised a large amount of vegetables, including 350 bushels of the Yellow Danvers Onion. The soil is vegetable mould, sandy loam, and clay subsoil. He has succeeded in starting young peach trees on a clay soil without injury by cutworm. Fruit growing in this region is somewhat new and twothirds of the peach trees are too young to bear, but the tabular statement will show that a large amount of peaches have been shipped here this year. Rev. J. Rice Taylor, rector of the Episcopal Church, also interests himself in the fruit growing of this region, but does not cultivate, except for his own amusement. The influence of these gentlemen on the industrial pursuits of the people is highly beneficial. Both have flourishing little churches, the houses for which beautify the hillsides of the village.

DOUGLAS AND VICINITY.

Douglas, the village opposite to Saugatuck, has advantages for fruit growing over a large extent of elevated table land, which reaches out to the lake shore on the west, and extends through the township of Ganges on the south, affording a large amount of produce for shipment. One of the largest orchards here is that of M. B. Williams, who received the first premium in 1872 for the best general fruit farm awarded by the State Pomological Society. This orchard has 3,000 peach trees and a fine vineyard of Concord, Delaware, and other grapes. It is handsomely located on the south side of Lake Kalamazoo, and has a fine elevation. The house, barn, and all the surroundings indicated

thrift and good taste. Mr. Williams was from home, or we could give a more complete account of his operations.

Messrs. Williams & Wiley, at Douglas, have a farm of 110 acres, the largest yet seen on the lake shore, devoted mainly to fruit culture. They have forty acres in good bearing peach trees and grapes, and shipped 15,000 baskets of fruit this season. They are preparing to plant another forty acres in peaches next spring, which will make this probably the largest peach orchard in the State. It has a somewhat diversified soil, but principally sandy loam and clay.

CHEAP METHOD OF DRYING PEACHES.

Mr. Wiley, who superintends the farm (Mr. Williams residing in Kalamazoo), has a simple contrivance for drying fruit, and endeavors to meet the demand for cheap dried peaches, unpealed. He says he can afford unpealed so much cheaper than pealed, that it pays to meet the demand which a comparatively low price secures. He has a square hot air chamber, heated by furnace below, with trays or slides on which the halved peaches are placed. He thus saves all his peaches that would otherwise be wasted, and makes a good, marketable article of dried fruit, particularly adapted for consumption in the lumber camps, and by a large class of persons in cities who cannot afford to pay the high prices demanded for Alden fruit.

THE CUT-WORM OBSTRUCTED.

Mr Wiley described his invention for preventing the cut-worm from ascending young trees. It consists of a piece of tin about three inches square with a

hole cut in the centre and a cut or opening to one side, so as to admit the trunk of the tree. A piece of paper is wound around the trunk to prevent the tin from cutting the bark, and the latter is moved up or down the tree until it comes to a place where it fits the hole. No cut-worm can pass this obstruction. Mr. Wiley says he prefers it to the ordinary tin placed in the ground around the trunk, as the worm will climb over that, whereas, he cannot pass the horizontal tin thus placed on the trunk.

Mr. Manville has a farm towards the lake on the Douglas side, in charge of Mr. Levi Weston. It has a thirty acre peach and apple orchard. Mr. Weston shipped 3,000 baskets of peaches this season.

There are farms scattered all along the lake shore and for seven miles east of the lake.

THE PLUMMERVILLE SETTLEMENT.

At Plummerville, about seven miles south of Douglas, on the lake shore, Mr. Perottet has a fine peach orchard. He realized from six acres of peaches last year $1.700 net. Another place of four acres near the tannery and pier of Perottet & Wallin, on which is a small dwelling, he has just sold for $2,000 cash. The purchaser has added other land to it which he is preparing to plant in peaches and grapes. It is a very elevated piece of slightly rolling land and will make one of the finest peach orchards on the shore. At this tannery Mr. Perottet manufactures sole leather to the extent of 400,000 pounds a year. He ships his leather to his old home in Switzerland, it having attained a European celebrity by the award of the committee at the Vienna Exposition.

Mr. Edward Hawley has a farm of forty acres. It has a very thrifty peach orchard which has been manured with spent lime and animal refuse from the

tannery. Some of his farm is black vegetable mould, and this, when drained, with six-inch boards fastened together with one and one-half-inch pickets becomes excellent garden soil. He has a crop of Yellow Danvers Onions this year, from less than two acres, of 1,000 bushels. These onions are remarkably large and solid, and such as realized $18 a barrel last year in New Orleans. Some onions measured sixteen inches in circumference. Mr. Hawley produces onions every year on the same ground.

Mr. Plummer raised corn this year, eighteen rows on ears a foot long, well packed with kernels.

The soil in this vicinity is remarkably strong, notwithstanding its great elevation and proximity to the lake. A very casual inspection given last year by a committee of the State Pomological Society produced an unfavorable report of this vicinity which did it injustice. They merely rode down to Pier Cove and returned, without seeing the best features of this township of Ganges.

The farms on the road from Plummerville east to Fennville are fine; one owned by Mr. S. I. B. Hutchison yielded 3,000 baskets of peaches. This farm also produces fine Concords, Diana and Isabella grapes, and very large quinces. Mr. Knox has the reputation of taking the largest peaches to the Chicago market, for which he obtains $1 40 a bushel net.

THE FENNVILLE SETTLEMENT.

At Fennville, Mr. James McCormack has a fine farm of both apples and peaches, as well as general farm crops. He is one of the most successful farmers in the county of Allegan. He shipped, principally by rail, about 10.000 baskets of peaches this year, many of which he contracted to the canning factory at Benton Harbor. Ou this farm is the celebrated cherry tree, thirty-four years old, of the Black Mazzard variety. Its trunk measures ten feet, ten and one-half inches in circumference. Mr. McCormack started here when the country was new, thirty-seven years ago, and has succeeded so well as to provide his sons each with a farm, and has an abundant property for his daughters. While riding from Fennville to Saugatuck we passed many fine farms, showing that fruit-growing is generally gaining ground throughout the townships bordering on the lake.

BASKET MANUFACTURE.

The Saugatuck Woodworking Company, of which Mr. Dunn is manager, turned out 100,000 peach baskets and 50,000 quart berry boxes this year. Forty thousand of the peach baskets were sent to the neighborhood of Allegan, the county seat, showing that a good crop of peaches were raised this year as far as twenty-five miles east of the lake.

THE SWAMP LANDS.

Successful efforts have been made in this vicinity to reclaim and cultivate swamp lands, which abound in Allegan and Ottawa counties. They are very productive when drained, and will produce corn, hay, and vegetables in great abundance.

GENERAL ADVANTAGES.

The Saugatuck fruit region, being but newly and partially developed, offers excellent opportunities for beginners. With the lake along on the west and the railroad on the east line of the region, ample choice of transportation is

afforded. Good fruit lands can be had as low as ten dollars an acre, while swamp lands, the best for small fruits and vegetables, can be obtained for from two to five dollars per acre. The people here are remarkably hospitable, eminently social and Christian in their conduct towards visitors, and no one ever visits them without a season of true enjoyment, or leaves them without feelings of regret, and a determination to return at the first practical opportunity.

FOURTH ARTICLE.

HOLLAND CITY AND TOWNSHIP, GRONINGEN, GRAFSCHAAP, FILLMORE,
NEWARK, OVEREISEL, ZEALAND, OLIVE, NORTH
HOLLAND, VENTURA.

BLACK LAKE HARBOR AND ITS SURROUNDINGS.

Eight miles north of the mouth of Kalamazoo river, on Lake Michigan, is another harbor known as Black Lake. It is accessible for good-sized vessels during the season of navigation, and is being improved by the United States government. Inside is a beautiful lake about six miles long, and from half a mile to a mile in width. Around this lake are numerous orchards and vineyards, and at its head is the city of Holland, the commercial metropolis of the Holland Colony. Spread over the territory covered by the townships and villages above named, are hundreds of farms, mostly small, but thoroughly cultivated, and almost every farm has its orchard and vineyard, while not a few make the cultivation of peaches and grapes the principal feature. Mostly Hollanders, these farmers are careful to market their produce and secure the best results.

ELEVATION AND CHARACTER OF THE LAND-CRANBERRY MARSHES. The land around the lake has an elevation of from 20 to 50 feet, and is slightly undulating. The soil in the colony is mostly sandy, or sandy-loam, with clay and sometimes gravelly subsoil. But there is also a large area of marsh and swamp land, especially in Holland township, north of the city, and in Olive. Much of this land is natural cranberry and huckleberry marsh, and in favorable seasons, thousands of bushels of these valuable wild fruits are shipped. To secure regular crops, arrangements for artifical irrigation are needed.

THE PEACH LAND.

The best place for peaches is along the shore of Lake Michigan, between Black Lake and Pigeon river and lake, better known as Port Sheldon. Here the banks of the lake are tolerably even, with only here and there a sandhill, and the beach and maple land, interspersed with hemlock, comes to the lake shore. Along this shore, so open to the lake, is the somewhat scattering set

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