SECRETARY'S REPORT. JgJ 



its production, were stocked with bearing trees. Taking these 

 things into consideration, we have no hesitation in saying, (the 

 failure of the present year to the contrary, notwithstanding,) 

 that no surer or more profitable crop can be grown. Says a 

 thoroughly practical man; "At the lowest rate of product that 

 any man in his senses would estimate as a common crop, an 

 apple orcliard would give four times the amount of profit as the 

 same quantity of land in grass for hay, and with less cost for 

 cultivation," and it is doubtless fuUy true of lands adapted to 

 fruit culture, though we have some soils, as strong clayey loams, 

 better for hay than for fruit. Many farmers now realize more 

 money from the sales of their fruit, than from all the other prod- 

 ucts of the farm. Some towns report sales of four thousand 

 barrels per annum, to go away, and this might easily be increased 

 ten-fold ; indeed, there are few towns in which any are grown 

 where this might not be done. 



But if there was no market whatever, such is the value of 

 apples for feeding to horses, cattle, and swine, that no farmer 

 can afford to be without a large orchard for this purpose alone, 

 nor to care well for it, if he has one. At a very moderate 

 estimate, a hundred trees of productive varieties of sweet 

 apples, will yield, one year with another, ten bushels each, and 

 at a cost not exceeding fifty to seventy-five dollars, say five to 

 seven and one-half cents per bushel. Of their value for stock, 

 we have not such accurate and careful experiments as to be 

 able to speak positively of their precise value, compared with 

 other food, but the opinions of those who have tried them, 

 though varying somewhat, is on the whole, decidedly favorable, 

 and we find it more favorable in proportion to actual and ex- 

 tensive experience; While the refuse of natural or seedling 

 fruit is of little worth, rich sweet apples (and these are as 

 cheaply grown as any,) are rarely considered of less value than 

 potatoes, and often of greater. 



In reply to the question in the circular on this point, eighteen 

 towns say, "don't know;" one, "a third of the value of pota- 

 toes ;" another, " half;" and others, " as good as ruta bagas ;" 

 " fifteen cents per bushel ;" " good, but better for milk than 

 for flesh ;" while from many towns known to produce largely, 

 ^ twenty to twenty-five cents per bushel ;" " twenty to twenty-five 

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