A History of Northern Michigan and Its People, Volume I, Part 6

Author: Perry F. Powers
Publication date: 1912
Publisher: Lewis Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 597


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Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).


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GROVE OF WHITE PINES


C. The Norway Pine Type .- At the time of lumbering, this type consisted mainly of the species for which it is named, but usually con- tained scattering white pine and more numerous, though often dwarfed, red and white oaks and red maples. The present aspect of this type is much the same as that of the preceding. The two oaks, red maple, and seedling Norway are the characteristic trees now. Seedling Norways are more numerous than in the preceding type, perhaps because of the greater number of seed trees here as well as the somewhat greater abil- ity of this species to withstand fire than that possessed by the white pine. The low plants are much the same as in the last, Solidago caesia of that type is replaced here by S. juncea, and Liatris scariosa is com- mon here, while in the other group it was of rare occurrence.


D. The Jack Pine Type .- This is the most open of the series and occurs in the most sterile sands of the area. The only trees are the jack


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[Courtesy Detroit & Mackinac Railway Company]


OLD-TIME PINERIES


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pine, scarlet oak, choke cherry, and seedings of Populus tremuloides and P. grandidentata. All but the pine and oak are hardly more than shrubs. The pines occur in two forms, one with a tall trunk and a crown of short branches at the summit, the other with branches longer and extending nearly to the ground. The former is called by lumbermen "black jack pine," the second "yellow jack pine." The shape of the tree is of course caused by its place of growth, the former occurring in dense groups, the latter in the open.


Besides the trees, there occur as characteristic on the jack pine areas the following low plants :- Brake, Solidago memoralis, the three blue- berries above mentioned (but not huckleberry), bearberry, sweet fern, sand cherry, pin cherry, Andropogon scoparius and furcatus, Danthonia, Liatris cylindracea, dwarf willow, reindeer lichen, etc. This type com- prises the worst part of what is called "the plains."


(2.) THE LOWLAND TYPES


For the most part, the swamps which were originally wooded have not been denuded of forest. Where they contained white pine, that was taken out, leaving the other trees, which protected the undergrowth and soon produced a dense, almost jungle like formation. Within the past few years the merchantable arbor-vitae and tamarack have been removed from these swamps, but there are almost always left enough small trees to produce shade. Also the swamps have not been subjected to burning nearly so often as the uplands, and are generally in much more nearly their original condition than are the latter. The three types may be described as follows :


E. The Open Meadow Type .- This is treeless or nearly so, partly open hay meadow, largely of "blue-joint," (Calamagrostis canadensis), partly of bulrush and cattail marsh, and partly of sphagnum bog. It. grades into the other two types.


F. The Tamarack and Arbor-Vitae Swamp .- This is the typical swamp of the region. It contains tamarack, arbor-vitae or white cedar, black and white spruce, and balsam fir, which form dense and often impassable, thickets. In some localities the tamarack occupies almost all the ground to the exclusion of other trees, and in other places the same is true of the arbor-vitae. But there is not nearly so much ten- dency here for these two trees to form separate and distinct types as is found farther south." There the tamarack seems to occupy the por- tions of the swamp lands which are most poorly drained, the arbor- vitae growing best in localities where drainage is more thorough, yet still not complete enough for the river swamp vegetation. Here the question of drainage does not appear to play so important a part.


G. The Mixed Swamp .- This formation is found near swamp margins, especially where the underlying clay is near the surface. Thus, it often occurs along lines where the hardwood forest reaches down toward the swamp. It may be looked upon as intermediate be- tween the tamarack and arbor-vitae type and that of the hardwood.


* For a description of the conditions further south in the state, the reader is referred to the author's paper on Kent county.


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There is always a great mingling of species here. Among the trees are: Tamarack, arbor-vitae, the spruces, balsam fir, white and yellow birch (Betula papyrifera and lutea), black ash, hemlock, mountain ash, sugar maple, Prunus serotina, white pine, June-berry, etc., together with such low forms as raspberry, blackberry, brake, Lycopodium clavatum, yew, alder, and Ilex verticellata. The relative proportions of the different trees vary from one locality to another, and nothing definite can be stated in this regard.


DISTRIBUTION OF HARDWOOD TYPES


The Uplands .- The Hardwood Type occurs in this region always in soils which contain considerable amounts of clay. Such soils are al- ways covered to a depth of several inches with leafmold or humus, and in this layer the seedlings of hardwood and hemlock grow and thrive. The white pine type occurs on the Murray hills, on the most clayey parts of Norway hill, and on the great northwestern moraine, in T. 21 N., R. 2 W. These soils are often as clayey as those of many of the hardwood areas, but are higher and therefore better drained. It also occupies most of the gravelly ridge in T. 25 N., R. 2 W. Very often the swamp margins are occupied by this type, especially where the slopes are not abrupt, a condition which gives humus a chance to collect in and upon the sand.


The Norway Pine Type occupies gravelly ridges and loamy sand plains. The soil here is somewhat better than in the location held by the next type, but it is generally too poor for profitable general agricul- ture. As will be seen by a glance at the map, most of the uplands studied were originally covered by this type.


The Jack Pine Type occupies only the most thoroughly washed of the sand plains. Excepting in the northern two tiers of townships and in T. 24 N., R. 2 W. there is practically none of this type in the area. These localities lie in the valley of the Au Sable. The parts lying about the head waters of the Muskegon have abundant plains of loamy sand, but these support the type of Norway pine. This fact has no connection with the rivers themselves, however, for farther down the Muskegon are to be found typical jack pine barrens. The soil of this type is almost worthless for agriculture; it is light and dry, and where the surface is broken it is apt to be wind blown, and often forms small traveling dunes. This has been the fate of many once cultivated fields in the northern portion of the Beaver Creek valley and also still farther north in the neighborhood of Grayling.


The Lowlands .- As has been said, the distribution of the lowland types was not worked out with accuracy. Great difficulty was ex- perienced in studying such areas, for the swamps are often almost ut- terly impassable. The greatest areas of open marsh encountered are as already described. There are doubtless many areas of like nature which were not seen at all, but these cannot be of very great extent. In the swamps the ground is covered with a layer of humus, usually of the nature of peat, and there seems to be no difference in this sub- stance between the sand and the clay areas. Neither is there any


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apparent difference in the swamp vegetation whether it is upon sand or clay.


As cannot be too often repeated, the physiography of the Southern Peninsula of Michigan depends very largely upon glacial topography, however, so that if we wish to trace backward beyond the soils the chain of cause and effect which determine plant distribution here, we come at length upon the purely geological agencies which, at the end of the last glacial epoch, caused one locality to be left a till moraine, another a sandy or loamy one, and still another a sand plain or clay plain, or a pond.


Of the upland series, the hardwood type of vegetation seems to need the most water, the most soluble soil content, and the most humus. Probably this is the reason why this type occupies the moister soils of the uplands, no matter whether these are moist through nearness to the underground water table or through greater lifting power of the soil itself. The types of white, Norway, and jack pine seem to require less water in the order of their arrangement. Probably the Norway and jack require more air in the soil than either the hardwood or the white pine. The typical tree forms of both the last named types occur in the mixed swamp quite commonly, but neither Norway or jack pine have been found in soil which is wet the greater part of the year. Throughout the region it seems that each type occupies soils which correspond in water content to its needs. It must be remembered here that a sand or loam soil near the water level may contain much more water than one of loam or clay where the water is farther from the surface. This idea offers, perhaps, an explanation for the occurrence of hardwood on low loam in T. 25 N., R. 4 W. Addition of surface humus has also perhaps, raised the water-holding power of the soil to the neighborhood of that manifested by clay itself. The subsoil is such here that the white or Norway type might be expected.


The statement so frequently met with that the white pine will not come up after it has once been cut off and the ground burned over, seems to strike wide of the truth in this region. The writer visited al- most every square mile of the uplands, and he is thoroughly convinced that scattering seedlings of white pines are now evident on practically all areas originally covered by that species, which have not been recently subjected to the action of fires. Seedlings of the Norway are now, however, more numerous on these areas than are those of the white itself. They are plentiful throughout the region on light soils excepting the very lightest. Fires destroy the young growth of the white pine and also prevent humus formation. Thus, as long as the fires are al- lowed to occur so frequently, the water capacity is not apt to rise and the growth of nitrifying bacteria is not apt to increase. But the pres- ence of the few white seedlings is evidence that the species can grow if protected. Indeed, the best young stands of any kind that the writer has seen are of this tree, and they promise exceedingly well for refor- estation.


As has been said, the Norway is coming in quite freely in the areas originally covered by this species and by the white. The degeneration goes no further, however; and it is rare to find even individual jack


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pines in any of these areas. Indeed, there is evidence in some places that the Norway is rapidly advancing its seedlings into the areas held by the jack.


The hardwood forest reappears quite rapidly when cut. This is doubtless in part due to the fact that this material does not burn so readily nor so violently as do the pines. The scattered white pines which formerly characterized these forests in the eyes of the lumbermen, are not returning. They were perhaps only a relic of a past generation of forest. Hemlock is reproducing well and will return with the beech and maple if, through lack of humus, the soil does not become too dry for the seedlings. The sugar maple is best for reclaiming cut over lands. Its saplings stand close together and do not seem to suffer from one another's shade, while they prevent the dying out and oxidation of the surface soil.


THE FUTURE OF THE REGION


Since there has been considerable discussion in the state concern- ing the utility of these lands for various purposes, it may be well to con- sider this subject briefly here. On the uplands most of the different kinds of soil have been tested for agriculture, the clay hills and the clay plains, both of compartively small extent, make excellent farming land. The gravelly and loamy sand of most of the ridges is easily tilled, and, with enough care, yields good crops, but the soil is too light, and the amount of energy necessarily expended in cultivation is much greater than in heavier soils.


On the worst sand plains, originally covered with very open stands of jack pine and scarlet oak, tillage is almost out of the question. With constant manuring and cultivation, this sand can be held in place and made to produce fair crops, but the expense, in time and energy, if not actually in money, make such crops cost much more than they will ac- tually bring on the market. Some of this land is so situated that irriga- tion would be possible, and this may some time become a practical line of investment. The grazing of cattle on the Norway and jack pine plains is practicable, and is being carried out successfully by several hold- ers in Roscommon county. Several forms of bunch grass and the shade of the scrubby oaks and pines, are the valuable features. But it re- quires many acres for a few cattle, and it is doubtful whether the small landholder can ever accomplish much in this direction. Practically all the small holders who are succeeding at grazing, are pasturing their cattle, in good part, on the lands of the state and of other individuals.


The swamps which are abundant in the region, would all make ex- cellent garden land if properly cleared and drained. It appears that the most promising use to which to put the swamps is that suggested by A. C. Lane, of the Michigan Geological Survey, namely, to derive fuel peat from them. Samples assayed from fifty-two per cent to seventy- five per cent combustile material.


A number of tests have been made of the ability of the ridges and more loamy plains to support apple trees, with considerable promise of success.


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The feasibility of reforestation seems practically proved. Every student of plant growth who has worked in the region has become con- vinced that the main reason for the failure of natural reforestation here lies in the repeated and destructive fires.


With the fire nuisance removed, it is quite certain that nearly all of the upland area would spring up to seedlings of white and Norway pines. Further than this, it seems very probable to the present writer that, if the land which will now support nothing better were kept cov- ered with Norway forest, it would eventually become (through the ac- cumulation of humus) capable of supporting a good growth of white pine, which might be planted among the Norways when the time was ripe for it. How long this process of amelioration might take, it is useless at present to conjecture; there is no locality in the region which is free from fires, and thus no possibility of collecting data for this purpose.


It appears from these investigations that the main factor in deter- mining the distribution of the forest on the uplands of this region, is that of the size of soil particles, the sorting of which dates back, almost entirely, to the glacial epoch. The size of particles determines the amount of air and moisture in the soil, and these in turn determine the amount of humus formation and the growth of nitrifying organ- isms, and, to some extent at least, the amount of soluble salts.


A factor of less relative importance, because applicable only over small areas, is that of the nearness of the underground water level to the surface. This affects the uplands only along swamp borders.


In a broad way, physiography may be said to determine the vegeta- tional distribution here. The physiographic features depend largely upon glacial topography. Thus geological factors have, in one way or another, determined the nature and distribution of surface soils and the distance below the surface of the underground water level, and so these factors have determined vegetational distribution.


It is probable that many dry soils may at length become moist enough to support one of the more moisture loving types of vegetation, simply by increase in humus content, which must go on slowly at first but more rapidly as the amount of this substance increases.


The lowlands are covered with a vegetation which seems to be able to bear excess of water and paucity of oxygen in the soil. From the open meadow and coniferous swamp, we pass, with better and better drainage, through the mixed swamp to the hardwood or the white pine of the uplands.


It appears that the natural reforestation of the pine areas with the Norway, and, to some extent, at least, with white pine, is practicable if the fires can be suppressed. Orcharding gives some promise of suc- cess on the ridges and loamy plains, and, together with forestry, offers probably the best use to which to put this region which contains so little good land for general agriculture.


Although the above observations and deductions made by Professor Livingston, under direction of the Michigan Geological Survey, relate specifically to a comparatively limited area they apply quite closely to most of the interior country covered by this history.


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ORCHARD ALI YER


Ry00 TREE


MICHIGAN'S GREAT PRODUCTS: FRUITS AND VEGETABLES


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PRODUCTS OF THE SOIL


In general, it may be said that the soil of Michigan, especially the western portion of the southern peninsula, consists of every variety known to agriculturists or horticulturists. Originally much of this area was covered by heavy forests both of pine and hard wood and the results of comparatively a few years in the raising of all kinds of crops have proven that the generally accepted idea of the pioneers as to the strength and productiveness of land which would support timber is correct in all its essential features. The heavy clay land and sand loam of the hardwood forests which flourished in the early days are still found in every county of northwestern Michigan, these classes of soil forming about fifty per cent of the total. The muck lands of the swamp areas form about 8.4 per cent of the total acreage. The hills and plains of the sand loam known as white pine and Norway pine lands form the lesser part of the soil of all the counties, averaging 26.5 per cent of the whole acreage. The mixed pine and hardwood areas comprise 14 per cent of the whole. And lastly there are the much maligned "jack pine plains," the area of which in the whole of western Michigan is not to exceed 4.1 per cent of the total available arable lands. On all of the other soils spoken of the farmers and fruit growers are "making good," and it is believed, as already stated, that the "jack pine plains," under scientific treatment, can be made valuable for agri- culture and horticulture.


Some of the best of the fruit lands of western Michigan were at one time white pine and Norway pine areas. Peach orchards which produce a value of from $200 to $600 and more per acre per year are found in Mason, Manistee and Benzie counties; in the other counties where this class of land is found, there has been no recorded attempt to grow this fruit, and therefore the success or failure of the industry is unknown. It is generally believed that apples will not do well on the lighter sand loams, but in Wexford, Mason, Manistee and Benzie counties this has not proved true. Apples are raised in all of them, and profiting by the experience of the pioneers, there are thousands of trees being set throughout these counties.


In the hardwood areas, especially those which lie near to the great lake, or upon the bays or inland lakes of any considerable size, fruit culture has attained the greatest perfection in western Michigan. Here are also the most thickly populated sections, and where general agri- cultural activity is greatest.


Nearly all the fruits are successfully grown in every county of west- ern Michigan. Apples are universally successful; the extent of the "peach belt" is difficult to define, although it is generally accepted as a fact that this fruit will do better on an elevated location near to a body of water. Certain varieties of cherries are universally grown, and with great success. Pears, plums and apricots do well wherever peaches are grown. The small fruits, such as strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, gooseberries and currants, do well everywhere. So far as berries are concerned location does not count so much as proper care.


Perhaps next in importance to the cultivation of fruit comes the


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potato crop of northwestern Michigan, as there is no portion of this entire country where that tuber cannot be grown successfully. In many instances potatoes are even planted among the stumps of recently cleared ground and returns from this crop have often more than paid the original cost of the land. Sugar beets are also raised profitably in many sections. The hay crop is also profitable, and various counties over as far north as Emmet have produced wheat in yields as high as forty bushel per acre. The growing of garden seeds such as peas, beans, radishes, pumpkins and squash, is also a profitable industry, as well as the raising of garden truck for canning and pickling. Interesting and instructive information along this line is furnished by the West- ern Michigan Development Bureau, whose investigations cover Antrim, Benzie, Charlevoix, Emmet, Grand Traverse, Kalkaska, Lake, Leelanau, Manistee, Mason, Missaukee, Osceola and Wexford counties all em- braced within the scope of this work.


If half of the world lives out of a can nowadays, as has been asserted by authority, the only reason a greater percentage do not eat canned stuffs is that there is not enough canned. The canning and pickling industry has assumed important proportions in western Michigan in the past few years, and is still growing rapidly. There are now in the territory of the bureau nine plants engaged in canning the products of the farms and orchards. The factories employ an aggregate of 2,500 men, women and girls during the canning season, besides the number engaged in growing the products which are put up.


The packing plants put up a great variety of fruits and vegetables. Commencing with the earliest fruits of the summer the pack runs through the strawberry, raspberry, cherry, blackberry, peach, plum, apricot and apple seasons, wherever such plants are equipped for hand- ling fruits. Green peas, string beans, green corn, pumpkin, squash and other vegetables are handled by practically all of them. As fast as growers can be found willing to undertake the growing of sufficient acreage, the pickle industry is springing up, and cucumber pickles are salted in brine at stations in this territory at the present time. This is an industry that is bringing out the superior quality of the warm, quick-growing sand loam soils of this region, and is making lands valu- able which have for years been considered of little worth. No figures are at hand to show the value of this product to the growers of this territory for the past year, but many growers report yields exceeding 300 bushels per acre, for which they received from 50 to 60 cents per bushel at the salting station.


Crushed fruits and fruit flavors, which are so largely used in the making of ices, and for flavoring ice cream and soda water, is a new industry to Michigan. A plant for the preservation of fruits for this purpose was opened in the season of 1909, and has proved so success- ful that the capacity will be greatly enlarged. The flavor of western Michigan fruit products enables the manufacturer to obtain a greater price than for such products grown elsewhere.


The soil and productions of northeastern and eastern Michigan are similar to those described in connection with the western portion of the Southern Peninsula. Not only potatoes but sugar beets are raised


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in abundance; wheat produces from twenty to thirty bushels per acre, rye sixteen to twenty bushels, oats thirty to fifty bushels, peas twenty to thirty, beans twelve to twenty, and clover seed from three to twelve bushels. The hay crops range from one and one-half to three tons per acre.


The dominant feature of the soil in northeastern Michigan is grav- elly loam, upon which grew the great forests of pine for which this section of the state was noted. The soil, as a whole, is peculiarly adapted to all root crops such as potatoes, sugar beets, onions, turnips, carrots and cabbage. Such crops as wheat, oats, rye, buckwheat, timothy, clover and alfalfa have also been successfully raised in northeastern Michigan.


During the past few years great attention has been given to the growing of clover for its seed in northeastern Michigan and the results have been astounding. Experienced farmers can hardly credit the statement that as high as twelve bushels of clover seed per acre have been hulled, but such is a fact, which can be proved beyond dispute. An average of the district would probably show about four bushels to the acre.




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