state: pomologicai, society. 163 



We chase after it day after day, year after year. When we 

 catch it, then we have forgotten what we wanted of it. We 

 don't know how to use it. We think that it is going to make 

 us happy, but when did dollars ever add to happiness ? Certain 

 things we must have. We must have food, shelter, clothing, 

 but beyond that what we get has nothing to do with happiness. 

 What matters it whether the front of our home is brown stone 

 or clapboards? Whether the carpet we walk upon is rags or 

 Wilton? — nothing to do with happiness, "Seek happiness o'er 

 all the earth and she shall but follow on thy trail or sit patiently 

 on thine own door-step and wait thy return." Yet we are all 

 seeking for dollars, and it is right that we should in a measure, 

 and the farm furnishes a moderate financial return. And per- 

 haps in that line it is only just, and I am glad to speak of the 

 opportunities of Maine in fruit growing. It seems to me that 

 we have here in Maine, just along the line of this meeting today, 

 most admirable and splendid opportunities. Why does fruit 

 growing offer good opportunities? In the first place, it calls 

 for only a moderate investment. In many other lines of effort 

 today the investment demanded is so great it is very difficult for 

 a man to get a foothold and to establish an independent business 

 in commerce or manufacturing; it is almost impossible except 

 as he unites with others to do it. But in agriculture he can 

 begin with a moderate investment in various ways. Now in the 

 first place, if we take apple growing for instance, the first value 

 of that land is only small. We do not need to have expensive 

 lands ; in fact, the very lands are oftentimes the least valuable 

 which are the best for orcharding puq^oses. Then there is only 

 a moderate' investment needed in the way of buildings and equip- 

 ment. The buildings are not expensive. The equipment is far 

 less expensive for fruit growing than it is for dairying or many 

 other kinds of work. The trees are not costly. Indeed we may 

 begin and propagate them with very little expense except for 

 labor if we are willing to wait a little. And then, above all, 

 we have an appreciating investment rather than a depreciating 

 one. Build a manufactory or a dairy barn, complete it today, 

 tomorrow it is worth less than it was when you finished it. 

 Each day and each year reduces the value of that building or 

 that factory. Plant an apple tree and tomorrow it is worth 

 II 



