Telegram-herald., 1890-01-23
OCEANA FRUIT BELT
Facts and Figures Concerning the
Natural Orchard of Michigan.
DEATH OF EISEylTORHICR PHELPS
Brisf sAsteh 81 His Llfs aad onei@i
Record Baslness EIosk Barnsd a.
Irga hsaaE43a-ss sstes froa4
tba capita City.

NI.lIaa +. s
u. AMI -ee waat there - n Ni-nisah
nefgre ~ leave Attention + called to
tn, matter ol raising pllms, pears ana
reaehes % 0cealt county Men gan.
N.arly oae-lalf 0eeana county Iot' ont
tr.3Iake Mcl gan, so Ihat the south
sl.. western ana northern Winds are
tempered by passing over the deep
N4t.rs of tae lake, which rarely freeze
over Of the coast 30 that g the winds
leave the llIaos and Wisconsin shore
az p, and 30a below zero, when they
..ve on tne shores 0f Oc.aaa county
tt rarely mark l5' below zero, wh.ca
makes possible % bc reasonably SURG
u -ood crop OK peaches, piums and
E.a--. ana other trnit-, every year.
o. ANA began ta- tru.l trade, IN
dead earnest. about louf years ago. Be
fore that. many aa ola farmer hao
been getting "a more from little pAtch
0r trees than ns whole tarm uttled
hnt Presently hrs ue ght0rs dlscoF-
cred tUe fact. and four years ago there
Ras regular stampede Tor peach trees
These four Vcar-old orchards oesln 10
bear thls year. and Viii take the crop
away out ot sight 90 all former records.
AID more trees Will be- plauted TINS
suuug than were lu the whole county
last year.
For investment purposes there is
probably no better territory ln the
State. L. peach business and reputa-
tgn ARE now iu-t establ shed. The es-
tmated l500 acres now cultivated for
t1 purpose is simply nothing when
COMPARED % the available lands. There
afe hundreds and thousands OF hills,
idle and wild. butter adapted 20 fruit
raising than half OF those now IN use.
These the farmers would be glad 20 ac-
ouire. but having settled IN this section,
poor and penniless, they are now re-
i1ctaut 10 20 into dCht again. Fine
elevations, Wild and improved, can be
bought from $40 to $50 per acre, which
ia less than two wears would double IN
yaiuc and If planted tUtrce~ triple IN the
same time. More than 10000 trees are
low ln trenches about shelby for sprmg
setting. Yearly the demand for Oceaua
fruit grows, and the product wh.cn
four years ago one mau handled, al-
most. last season was nearly 10000
baskets and viii double itself next
summer.
In Occaua county one can buy peach
Lands in 10 acre lots If he So desires,
and when be gets the ~ acres to bear
ing rFtt have % attend right to his
knitting to care fort. Buying 80 small
tract, hen probably want land m
which De- can at once put trees IhiS
Will cost him $50 per acre. Trees Tor
tae whole patch viii cost 40 and hls
other necessary expenses. including a
little house. less than 500. Thus the
future peach dealer starts with 500 cN-
peusc With the worst possible luck, at
tie end Of the fourth year hls income
would be z per tree or $40 per acre.
Thus his 10 acres first income VIII De-
6 400. The fifth year lt would be- 4 half
more and should he not secure $500
ir tho sixth. hc would hc more luck
less than any peach man 'n Oceana has
ever been. IN the meantime hc ha,
boon raising general farm stuff IA his
orchard. the soil OF which VIII grow
anything.
These are tho largest figures. Now,
slouose he wants wild land, heavily
tnherrd. 10 costs hmm $50 per acre,
hrr hc gets more for the logs. usually,
than hc gave for fhc land. or he can
buv the finest land, Wild. and from
wHfch hls been taken tIe choice TIM
bcr. for $40 per acre, lu quantities to
-u.t himself iic clears ONT the scrub
.rH ami plants an acre of trees among
frr green -tumu-. They flourish thcre
az wcII as any place else. only the cult-
vatupI a tr.He heavier. But hc has
begun an independent existence, and "a
little uatence bring, him face tO face
with q comfortable assurance for Iie.