222 THE CONNECTICUT POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



home market in our manufacturing centers, and are within a 

 few hours of Boston or New York markets. We have the hills 

 waiting to be planted with trees and vines. Certainly the land 

 of Canaan is at our very doors; we have simply to enter and 

 occupy. 



I can seem to see, by the mind's prophetic eye, in the near 

 future men of wealth buying land suited to the production of 

 peaches, and the business much enlarged and extended ; we are 

 near the northern limit of peach culture, therefore the markets 

 of Massachusetts and states north of us are ours to supply. 

 I have no fear of overproduction. Hale may plant his thousand 

 acres in Georgia, but they do not compete with us. Maryland 

 and Delaware have no place in our markets, when our fruit is 

 ripe. I will make this prediction, which some of you may 

 remember in the years to come : Connecticut peach lands within 

 the next ten years will double in value. 



In Southern California orange culture has enhanced the value 

 of the land $90,000,000 within the last twelve years ; the possi- 

 bilities lie before us to take land that can be bought for from $15 

 to $20 per acre and convert it into a value of more than $100 

 above expenses within a year's time; such opportunities will 

 not lie unappropriated many years. We are only on the 

 threshold of peach culture. 



Unless some great calamity should befall the industry, like 

 the spread of San Jose scale, unprecedented growth will mark 

 the present decade. 



I trust our legislature may listen to the words of warning and 

 of wisdom, spoken by Prof. Britton, and take such steps to keep 

 this pest luider control or eradicate it, and so preserve the most 

 valuable industry ever entered into by the farmers of our State. 

 This Society stands as a beacon light, to warn of dangers, dis- 

 pense knowledge ; to inspire hope and confidence in our work ; 

 and to bring us into closer touch with each other, and with 

 nature's God. 



In the culture of apples the possibilities are not so easily 

 shown, and possibly the returns are not so lucrative, but the 

 opportunities are certainly not wanting. 



The life of an apple tree in Connecticut is about 80 years, or 

 a man's lifetime ; in the western states 25 to 30 is the limit. 

 I trust we shall in the near future establish a market in Europe 



