206 



MISSOURI STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



"Hope deferred maketh the heart sick," so, to " keep head above 

 water " it required continuance of mercantile pursuits as well as care 

 for an orchard, planted with flattering prospects of golden reward, 

 dividing attention — hence neither was a success in a financial point of 

 view, and my profits must be looked for under the moral division of the 

 subject and the heart healed by a renewal of hope. 



The planting and growing of each department to fruitage was done 

 at the following cost : 



1,200 apple trees from 1SG6 to 1876 



313 pear tk " " 



100 cherry »« " " 



50 peach " " " 



35 plum " " " 



500 grape-vines, 4 years 



50 raspberries, 3 years 



50 blackberries 



Whortleberries, currants and gooseberries 



Gooseberries and figs 



Total 



Possibly enongh minor items of expense have escaped my accounts to 

 raise the cost to 



Interest on this sum from 1S71 to 1888, 17 years, 8 per cent, a very low in- 

 terest for the time, is ' 



Total 



2,832 00 



Supposing the crops of vegetatales, cereals and grasses grown in 

 the orchard were sufficient to pay rent of land and cost of their own 

 production, also for pruning trees and gathering the fruit (which they 

 did), we have simply to ascertain the net proceeds of fruit sold, strike 

 a balance and find net results. 



The net amount of sales from 1876 (10 years after setting, when all 

 were in full bearing) to 1888 inclusive, thirteen years, was: 



Apples 



Pears 



Grapes 



Cherries, 6 years 



Peaches, planted only for family use 



Plums, 3 years, planted only for family use.. 

 Berries, 2 years, planted only for family use. 



Total . 



Capital invested 



17 years interest, 8 per cent. 



$3,268 80 



427 72 



138 05 



32 74 



29 20 



15 07 



9 03 



3,920 61 



Balance profit. 



$1,200 00| 

 1,632 00! 2,S32 00 



1,0SS 61 



That is, $61.03 per year, for seventeen years, equal to *2.56 per 

 acre net annual profit on 25 acres. 



