The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1879-09-18

with the young Republicans of tina
institution, Oh Monday, and beat then
badly. Thus it will ever be. II.
Michigan Letter.
Elk RAPIDS, MICH, Sept. Z, 1879.
ED. PRESS lin my last epistle ]
promised to write concerning the soil,
productions and climate of this portion
of Michigan. and particularly of the
game and fish,, -, - .es
The soil is composed of sand, pine
trees and half-breed Indians, about
half and half, and very productive in
deed. The crops throughout this Sec
ton compare. favorably with those of
Northern Ohio. We have visited sew
eral farms away up here where one
would suppose everything would freeze
but this is mistaken idea. All veg
etables that mature early are raised in
greater abundance than on the West
ern Reserve. As an example of what
can be done here I give the result of
my visit to the farm. of Mr.. George
,Parmelee, at a place called Old Mission,
just opposite Elk Rapids. Mr.. P. has
200 acres set out to fruit trees, consist
ing of apples, pears, plums, peaches,
cherries and other small fruits. He
informed me that he shipped last year
1900 barrels OF apples, $50 bbls. pears,
$500 bushels peacher, $500 quarts Of
cherries, besides what was sold for
home consumption, and this year was
q much better yield than last. The
fruit is of a superior quality and the
plums are the largest and finest I ever
saw or heard of. tits enough to make
an Ohio man weep to witness the plum
orchard of Mr.. Burberry, of this place,
as they are not troubled here with the
insects which destroy the plums in
Ohio. I could not help thinking of
the fellow who, after viewing the Falls
Of Niagara for some time, said he
," didn't see anything very awful about
It, as there wasn't anything to keep
the water from falling" You will re-
member that at the Centennial Michi-
gan received the first prize for the best
fruit Of any State in the Union. Ifyou
don't remember it, you could not stay
in the State "a hours without hearing
the full particulars until you could re-
peat them by heart" Upon being
introduced to citizens here, converse
tion flows as follows: Mr.. c., happy
to meet you from Ohio, Understand.
I" Well, how do you like the looks of
Michigan ?" "Very much, though it
has a rather primitive appearance COM
pared with the cultivation and devel-
opment of Ohio" "Ah! yes but you
will remember that our State was
awarded the first prize at the Centen-
nial on her fruits, over all other States
in the Union, even the golden State of
California;" &c. I have heard this
until had the audacity to inquire if
they had on exhibition at the Centen-
nial any sand, pine trees and half
breeds !? I was informed by bystand-
ed who seemed to be acquainted with
the statistics, that Michigan produced
last year, over THEE THOUSAND MIL
LIONS FEET Of pine lumber alone, not
counting the immense quantities of
oak, walnut, beech, maple and other
hard woods; that this production of
pine was greater than all other States
east of the Rocky Mountains combined,
and Notwithstanding this great destruc-
ION of forests the supply is seemingly
inexhaustible. o2sf. t tE t
The game is Of the larger kind, such
as<leer, bear, wolves and foxes, beaver,
mink, martin, fisher and an occasional
link. The game, however, is dimin-
ishing rapidly, except, perhaps, pheas-
ants. Not being q hunter, I have made
but few inquiries regarding game, and
have had no experience. The fishing
excels any other locality in the States.
A few miles from here is q little vii
lage called Brownstown, which is a
great summer resort for fishermen. 1t
is situated on the west side of Torch
Lake, and has direct communication
with six other lakes, which are known
widely for their excellent bass, picker
ell, black filmed whitefish and trout,
which are caught In such quantities
that it soon ceases to be novelty.
Flowing into Torch Lake (as is the
case with all these small lakes) are nu-
merous streams, which are filed with
speckled trout, the average weight of
those caught with hook and linefis
about one pound. They are q gamey
fish, but sink into insignificance COM
pared with greyling. This fish is un-
known to Ohio sportsmen,< weighs
from one to three pounds, and Is of the
same family as the trout, being larger
and Of grey color, and the "sassyest"
fish to bite and pull in existence.
Portage County boys think it fun to
tussel with three pound black bass,
but for sport and excitement it is no
more to be compared to greyling fish
ing than an ordinary funeral to q first
class minstrel troupe. Owing to the
thousands who come here fishing, from
all parts of the United States, and the
countless numbers of trout and grey
ling; caught annually, the State has
passed law prohibiting their being
caught from Sept. LIST to May 1st of each
year. As these fish spawn in the fall,
it covers the entire bedding season,
thereby preventing the supply and in
crease becoming exhausted. I have
often wondered why our ministers re-