Telegram-herald., 1890-04-27
WElsi FRVIT BELT.
Facts and Figures Concerning the
Natural Orchard Of Michigan.
q susssss wsrsA Considering

/. -
OF country on the eAsg s.de of LAKE /
Nichi.sn. extending from Re,Tlen /
countv 10 Traverse bsy, some twenty - I
forty miles IA Width, knoxu as the
fru.t belt. shlch has peculiar features
pot found 10 other portseus Of NlCh.-
san. rne season 0f yegets t,on is twen- :
y dsvs longer, the winters warmer and
summers cooler. fToa Oceana county I
mott 10 Traverse, the soa : clxy losm.
aud from Oce2n2 county south 20 Ber- |
rieD. & i largely a sandy SOL, filled |
with minute particles o. gypsum, eyl-
dent, caused oy the wash of the waves
OF Lake Michigan over gypsum bed
roeks. mixing 4 IN with the sand and
throwing i up on the east shore Of
Lake Michigan, In the summer the
fogs and dews 4Ie heavy, Which keep
the ar cool and damp and promote
vegetation. The southern portion Of
this fruit belt, from oce4na county
south 10 Bernen. hss teen found very
prohnc IA the raising Of berries, melons,
grapes, Caulhowers, pears, ca6bages
and potatoes. The part from ocesnG
county north, having = stffeT soil, e
found 10 be more valuable for apples,
plums, cherries, pears, peaches aud
/ Oceans county has for years taken the
prizes al fairs for these classes Of fruit
| IL extends farther into Lake Michigan
than the other counties ard is rolling.
Upon these high hills meet of the or
| chards are being planted, the peach
and Dlum Orcha acdsespecially, when set
ont on these hlll tops, beng found freer
| from frosts.
Oceana county today has more or
! chards II proportion 10 Us cleared land
than any OIhercounty IN Michigan, and
/ there has been sold enough fruit trees
10 oe planted next spring III that county
| 20 equal all that are planted now IN
| that county, so that IN q few years
Oceana VIII be one vast orchard. Prom
| inent fruit growers IN other sections OF
the State have been predicting for some
time past that Oceana county, owing 10
It's hard wood soil. its hilly surface, It's
peculiar location, projecting out INTO
| Lake Michigan, was bound 10 be the
greatest fruit growing country OF the
State. This country has also many
brooks filed with brook trout, and
along these streams are many acres OF
meadow ground vet uncleared that Will
IN future years, when improved, largely
increase the dairy output OF that county.
Ii has harbor st Pentwater for boat
fruit business 10 Chicago and Mi wau-
kee and increasing railroad facilities.
Three -fifths of this country IS hard
wood timber land, and wheat, corn,
potatoes and other crops do we'll there.
1t is found that fruit, transported by
boat to Chicago and other ports, can be
bundled in better shape and cheaper
than by rail.
This fruit belt on the east shore OF
Lake Michigan is limited and will soon
be all picked up. 1t is simply matter
Of computation when il will all be IT
orchards and fruit farms. The boats oil
the great lake stands ready 10 take al
, that can be raised TO other parts Of the
union.
/ In these DAYS of leaving Michigan u
find better home; il is well enough u
{ look around and see what there is Mich
, igan before we leave. Attention j
called 10 the matter of raising plums
pears and peaches in Ocesna county
Michigan. Nearly one-hslf Of Oceans
county iuts out into Lake Michigan, 81
that the southern. western and north
western winds are tempered bv passinl
over the deep waters of the lake, whici
rarely freeze over off the coast. SC
: that If the winds leave the Illinois anC
Wisconsin shores at 2so and 30o below
zero, when they arrive on the shore o
Ocesna county they rarely mark is
below zero, which makes il possible +
be reasonably sure of a good crop o
peaches, plums and pears, and othe
fruits, every year.
Oceans began this fruit trade in dea,
earnest about four years ago. BefOr
that, many an'old farmer had been get
ting in more for little patch of tree
than his whole farm netted him. Pres
entlv his neighbors discovered the fact
and four years ago there was a regUla
stampede for peach trees. These four
year-old orchards begin 10 bear tn
year. and Will take the crop away OF
of sight of all former records. An
more trees will be planted this sprin
= than were IN the whole county las
year.
For investment purposes there
probably no better territory 10 tn
State. Its peach business snd reputa
ton are.nOw Justly established. Nor
than 200. 600 trees are now in trenche
about Hart, Mears and shelby 70
spring setting. Yearly the demand 70
Oceana fruit grows and the produc
which four yoarsago one man handled
almost, last season was nearly l75, 90
baskets, and viii double itself mex
summer.
The best part of the fruit belt o
Oceana county is the strip ten mile, d
width. bordering on Lake Mich gan
the host not only for peaches. but AT
. ples arc often better crop here thai
: farther away from the lake. Uniu
proved land can be bought in that lOcs
tion for from 6 10 SO per acre. whic
must soon double in value because @
= the great demand tor it.