▁main ▁interest ▁was ▁cultiv ated ▁fruit ▁trees ▁and ▁he ▁published ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁volumes ▁dealing ▁with ▁such ▁f ruits ▁as ▁cher ries , ▁g rap es , ▁pl ums , ▁and ▁pe aches . ▁ ▁Biography ▁ ▁Hed rick ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁ 1 8 7 0 ▁in ▁Independ ence , ▁Iowa . ▁He ▁grew ▁up ▁in ▁Northern ▁Michigan ▁near ▁Har bor ▁Spr ings , ▁an ▁experience ▁re called ▁in ▁his ▁mem oir ▁The ▁Land ▁of ▁the ▁Cro oked ▁Tree , ▁and ▁was ▁the ▁brother ▁of ▁Wil bur ▁O lin ▁Hed rick . ▁He ▁attended ▁Michigan ▁State ▁Agricult ural ▁College ▁( MS AC ), ▁now ▁Michigan ▁State ▁University , ▁receiving ▁a ▁Bach elor ▁of ▁Science ▁degree ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 3 ▁and ▁a ▁Master ▁of ▁Science ▁degree ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 5 . ▁ ▁He ▁worked ▁as ▁Ass istant ▁H ort icult ur ist ▁at ▁MS AC ▁from ▁ 1 8 9 3 ▁to ▁ 1 8 9 5 , ▁while ▁studying ▁for ▁his ▁M . S . ▁ ▁From ▁ 1 8 9 5 ▁to ▁ 1 9 0 5 , ▁Hed rick ▁taught ▁bot any ▁and ▁h ort icult ure ▁at ▁Oregon ▁Agricult ural ▁College ▁( 1 8 9 5 – 1 8 9 7 ), ▁Ut ah ▁Agricult ural ▁College ▁( 1 8 9 7 – 1 8 9 9 ), ▁and ▁Michigan ▁State ▁Agricult ural ▁College ▁( 1 8 9 9 – 1 9 0 5 ). ▁ ▁He ▁became ▁a ▁h ort icult ur ist ▁at