STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 69 



There are many small orchards from which the owners the past 

 ten years have realized a steady income, and there are now hun- 

 dreds of orchards that contain 500 trees and over, and I think I 

 may safely say that not over one-half of the apple trees set for mar- 

 ket purposes are bearing fruit. One grower, where land about his 

 orchard is worth from ^3 to $5 an acre says : "My crop of apples 

 for 1890 is as follows : Sold 305 barrels for $t per barrel. I have 

 on hand 2500 pounds of evaporated apples worth sixteen cents per 

 pound. I cannot give you an account of expenses, but this much I 

 will say, it leaves me a fair margin, and is the only crop that 

 will do it." One thousand six hundred and twenty-live dollars 

 from land of such value in Maine ! Think of it, young man, 

 before you turn your back upon 3'our native State ! Where 

 can you find richer returns in this country for good, honest 

 labor? And this orchard farm is still young, and ever}^ year its 

 trees are becoming more fruitful. It is better than corn at fifteen 

 to twenty-five cents a bushel 2000 miles from market. It is better 

 than three or four cent beef on a distant cattle ranch. It is better 

 than ten hours daily work within the walls of a noisy factory. It is 

 life and joy in the open air, it is independence, life and happiness, 

 and all the luxuries for home and loved ones that wealth and com- 

 petence can secure. 



VALUE OF ORCHARD LANDS. 



An interesting and important matter connected with the subject 

 under consideration is the remarkably low value of orchard lands. 

 It seems to me that when the price is considered, the opportunities 

 orcharding presents for profitable labor and investment are with- 

 out a parallel in this country. For instance, Mr. AVhittier says in 

 his report that land adjoining his orchard has a market value of $5 

 to $10 an acre, ard that when he began his operations his own 

 land was worth $b. Another grower in Franklin count3% who the 

 past four years has realized $500 annually from a small orchard, 

 says land adjoining is now worth only $12 an acre. In Kennebec 

 county, in the town of Winthrop, one of the best orchard towns in 

 the State, the price is given from $10 to $20 per acre. In the town 

 of Turner the Rickers say land is worth $50 an acre, and others 

 place it from $20 to $50. And so I might give figures from all 

 parts of the State, but it will suflflce to add that good orchard land 

 may be purchased at prices ranging from $5 to $50 per acre. 



