MR. moseley' address. 21 



upon his farm with so hule trouble and so great profit as valuable 

 fruit trees ; and yet nothing is more rare than to see a farm house 

 with a variety of valuable fruit trees attached to it. The most 

 that we usually find is perhaps a few old apple trees, which show 

 the marks of long neglect, and perhaps one or two decaying pear 

 trees, bearing hard and crabbed fruit. With but a few hours la- 

 bour every year, a great variety of the best fruits may be obtain- 

 ed. Our climate is exceedingly favorable for the cultivation of 

 apples, pears, cherries and plums. These are trees usually of 

 long life. The apple tree will continue in bearing fifty or sixty 

 years. But a few years since there was an apple tree in the 

 garden of the Wyllys family in Hartford, Connecticut, which 

 was set out by the old Secretary, before the middle of the seven- 

 teenth century. The pear tree is usually of longer life than the 

 apple. The old Endicott pear tree in Danvers was planted by 

 Gov. Endicott in 1630, and is more than two hundred years old. 

 Although much decayed it still bears fruit. The cherry and 

 plum tree often live to a great age. It is therefore not one of 

 the least considerations in planting these trees, that we are ren- 

 dering a valuable service to generations which are coming after 

 us. 



As to the matter of profit, I would inquire in what manner an 

 acre of ground, in the ordinary course of cultivation, can be made 

 so profitable, as in the cultivation of fruits. Good fruits will al- 

 ways find a good and ready n}arket. After the trees are set out 

 the ground may be cultivated for many years, with little or no 

 injury to the crop, and with great benefit to the trees. The 

 trees themselves will require little other labour than pruning, and 

 this may require one day annually. If the fruit be judiciously 

 selected, it would sell in the market for more than the whole 

 crop of corn, potatoes or grain, and pay for gathering and mar- 

 keting. Even in the Nevvburyport market, good peaches will 

 bring from three to four dollars a bushel, cherries and plums from 

 four to five dollars, pears from one dollar fifty cents to two dol- 

 lars, and apples one dollar a bushel. Take for instance a premi- 

 um crop of corn or any other grain, after deducting labour &;c. 

 fifty dollars would be a liberal amount for profit, and yet I cannot 



