48 MASSAC^fJSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



of 150 trees, was placed upon the market at $1000. This same 

 farm has repeatedly returned $500 from the trees alone. The 

 rest of the farm has been in hay until it is one of the "worn-out" 

 farms; but the buyer of such property is sure of liberal interest. 



I have not referred to the brilliant successes of Terrill and 

 Kinney of Vermont; Ricker of Maine; Solon Chase, whose record 

 with "them steers" is familiar to many; nor to the larger operators 

 like Hale of Connecticut, and others of Massachusetts, who have 

 shown the possibilities in fruit growing. Suffice it to say there are 

 hundreds of small orchards throughout New England which during 

 the past ten years have averaged their owner a net profit of 15 to 

 40 per cent on the investment. And this is better than raising 

 corn at 25 cents per bushel 2000 miles from market, or ten hours 

 daily work in the factory. It is better than raising hogs or even 

 peddling milk. It is an occupation which takes a man out into 

 God's sunlight during the day; which develops his power of obser- 

 vation and his love for growing plants; and which leaves oppor- 

 tunity for home life, for study and for social development during 

 the long winter evenings. 



(The speaker here introduced letters from practical orchardists 

 showing what had actually been done on "abandoned farms.") 



Value of Orchard Lands. 



In view of the recognized value of the orchard crop, it is indeed 

 surprising that orchard land, in close proximity to railroad and 

 steamboat points should be held so low. It is more i=;urprising 

 that there are not numerous syndicates for the exploitation of these 

 orchard lands. There is not the slightest doubt that with proper 

 management the owner of apple orchards in New England is surer 

 of a liberal return on his investment than is the owner of orange 

 groves in Florida or of silver mines in the West. 



Some of the best orchard lands in Maine may be bought for 

 from $5.00 to $50.00 per acre; and I know of hundreds of acres 

 within 100 miles of Portland that might rival the great orchards 

 of the Ozarks. 



The orchards already in bearing, as in one case already cited, 



