196 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



All through this State the Baldwin apple has been planted to 

 the exclusion of better and annually producing sorts. During 

 a bearing year, which is the even year, there are as many apples, 

 and perhaps more than are wanted to supply the market, and 

 the prices are consequently low, — too low the grower will say, 

 and barrels to put them in too high in price, — so by the time the 

 fruit is sold and all expenses paid, little real profit remains. 



At just what price good apples grown in Massachusetts, 

 properly picked and packed can be put down in our large cities 

 so as to pay a fair profit to the grower we cannot exactly tell, 

 but think it should not be placed below two and a half dollars, 

 and possibly three dollars would not be considered too high a 

 figure. They average the latter price, if not more, taking ten 

 years together, for good apples never sell below one dollar and 

 a half, and some seasons sell for four and a half to six dollars 

 per barrel. We are told by some that apples cannot be raised 

 at all here, but this we think is a mistake, for we have never 

 known a season when some varieties did not give a fair crop in 

 some localities. 



Others say they certainly cannot be raised where land is 

 worth several hundred dollars per acre? and to this we are 

 agreed, and we would not advise the planting of apple-trees on 

 valuable land near cities and large towns, when the same can 

 be profitably employed for market gardening. 



New York, Michigan and other States west of us yearly take 

 from our pockets large sums of money that might just as well 

 remain at home. 



There are tens of thousands of acres of land eminently 

 adapted to profitable apple culture that now are used as pasture 

 or woodland. Who will say the hills of old Berkshire will not 

 yield just as good apples as can be raised across the line that 

 divides us from New York ? Who will deny that there are 

 many acres of land that are not worth more than ten, 

 twenty or possibly fifty dollars per acre for any other purpose 

 that could be profitably employed in raising apples ? We fully 

 believe if the farmers of our State would take good care in the 

 selection of a site and of trees of good varieties for their 

 orchards, and then take as good care of them after they are 

 set as they do of other crops, there would be no complaint that 

 the apple crop had ceased to be a profitable one. With the 



