389 



Addison Flint, of Reading, states upon his own knowledge 

 that a lot of wood in Andover of 33 years' growth, consisting 

 of fifty acres, yielded 900 cords of wood. Two thirds of the 

 wood were wahiut and maple ; one third was pitch-pine. 



The value of standing wood in Reading, is from 2 to 3 dol- 

 lars per cord. The price of cutting and cording it, where it 

 grows, is from 58 to 62 cents. Mr. Flint speaks of four farms 

 within his vicinity devoted entirely to wood. On one of them 

 the greater part of the wood then standing was blown down in 

 the tremendous gale or whirlwind of 1816. It now yields 

 wood to the value of 100 dollars per acre. A white pine within 

 his knowledge, 39 years old, produced 15| cubic feet of wood. 



A lot of 40 acres was, seventy years ago, completely stripped 

 excepting 110 trees. Since that time 200 cords have been 

 blown down upon it and sold. In this time the owner has, be- 

 sides, obtained the fuel necessary for the family, and sold 20 

 cords per year. It is judged that there are now 1500 cords 

 standing upon the lot. He is of opinion that no property fur- 

 nishes a more productive investment of capital than wood land 

 thus situated. The facts in the case would seem fully to con- 

 firm this opinion. The land after the wood is cut off is 

 usually sold for ten dollars an acre. I have found it a prevalent 

 conviction, both in this and Norfolk and Plymouth counties, in 

 all which much land has been thrown out of cultivation and 

 devoted to the raising of wood, that in general it may be cut 

 over once in twenty years, and yield in that time at least 20 

 cords. The return therefore upon the purchase at ten dollars 

 per acre, may be considered as equal to one cord of wood per 

 year standing, which can seldom in any situation be rated at 

 less than $2,50 per cord. This would be at the rate of 25 per 

 cent per year, without any risk of being indicted for taking 

 usurious interest; and without any of those compunctious vis- 

 itings which some men must fee!, if such men had any con- 

 science, whose accumulations are wrung from the sweat and toil 

 of the oppressed and defenceless, the over-worked and the half- 

 fed victims of avarice. 



