Charlevoix county herald. (East Jordan, Mich.) 189?-1953, 1914-02-14
WEST MICHIGAN
ATTRACTING ATTENTION
Land of Diversified Farming;
Land of Fruit and Flavor
Takes Front Rank
Among States.

Charlotte (Mich.) Leader, Jan. %.
1t has been said that he who causes
two blades of grass to grow where only
one grew before is public benefactor,
or words to that effect. From such a
standpoint the Western Michigan De-
velopment bureau deserves the thanks
of Michigan people. This bureau has
Just issued an edition of $4,000 large
booklets entitled "Western Michigan"
which are elegantly made, beautifully
and profusely illustrated, and what is
still better giving the world SYM
pos .um of facts regarding the realities
and possibilities of twenty counties of
the state in growing profitable crops,
but especially fruit. These counties are
Antrim, Benzie, CharlevoiX, Emmett,
Grand Traverse, Kalkaska, Kent, Lake,
Leelanau, Manistee, Mason, Mecosta,
Missaukee, Montcalm, Muskegon, New
aygo, Oceana, Osceola, Ottawa and
Wexford.
While other counties might be in
cluded, they did not awaken to the
work, and this bureaus efforts are
confined to the above, but they will
reach and confer benefits upon the
entire state.
The region covered by this work
comprises the greater portion OF what
is the "fruit belt'' o. the state, and the
quality of fruit grown there will bear
out almost any stories written for it,
for no such spot on earth produces a
better quality of fruit or with equal
flavor and richness. And few people
III ctner sections of even our own state
reaiiZc the amount of money that is
going into me planting OF large
orchards, including apples, peaches,
pears, piulns, cherries, etc., the new
orchards ranging from small dimen-
sions UP to 100 trees.
Ihe western portion OF the state,
with It's rare qu4iity OF fruit, may be
explained as io:lUn4teiy located by
cI.i.lA-c advantages. Partially from
take protection, but more lal gely from
mixture OF two natural air currents;
for air currents have their courses as
naturally as waterways. In this case
one current from the northwest, and
one from The southwest meet out inIilin-
o!s or the middle west somewhere, and
ioIm one current, which moves in a
north ea.tel y direction. Wherever
this reaches, with sufficient strength
fruit grows profitably and of rare flav-
or anu quality. 1t covers the counties
named above, along the western por-
ton Of the state northward. This same
air current has other effects, acting in
many ways hayyily upon people, and is
credited with such virtues as there
may be in modifying the peculiar ag-
grivations OF hay fever and other
asthmatIc anG catarrhal troubles. The
eXhiarating effects On ali who have vi
sited these localities make necessary no
further proofs.
This development bureau is doing a
purely free gratis work. The men,
bers have no land to sell, but are sim
ply trying to tell the world some truths
ABOUT Michigan, and they are doing a
grand work. The matter presented is
well prepared, and makes mighty in
teresting reading. Before going west
il would be well to learn what we have
at our own state door. Very likely
one of these elegant booklets could be
had by writing to this bureau at Trav-
erse City. 1t is the sixth year of its
work, and about 100000 similar bro
chures have been sent out during that
time, all by money contributed for the
good OF the state.