18 MR. HUNTINGTON'S ADDRESS. 



profit in a period of from seven to ten years ; that 

 the production will gradually and annually increase 

 for some ten, fifteen or twenty years; and that then he 

 may have a matured and full grown orchard, bearing 

 the choicest and richest fruits, and promising its an- 

 nual treasures for generations even to come, he is 

 not deterred from present expenditure from the re- 

 moteness of the return. What is a thrifty apple- 

 tree worth, of twenty years' growth, bearing choice 

 fruit ? (and it is just as easy to have such fruit as 

 that which is of inferior quality.) What will it then 

 annually produce in money ? It would not be an 

 extravagant estimate, to consider a fair average pro- 

 duction of such a tree, at from seven to ten bushels 

 of marketable fruit, worth from five to eight dollars, 

 on an average of prices for the last eight or ten years. 

 Some trees, in particular seasons, yield much more 

 than this. I was informed by one of the trustees of 

 our society, that two apple-trees, known to be over 

 a hundred years of age, produced, in one year a net 

 income of about forty dollars. 



It is well known, that apple, as well as pear-trees, 

 with proper care, live to a very great age. Take 

 then a tree, in good bearing condition, producing 

 any of the choice varieties of fruit, of fifteen or twenty 

 years' growth, and what is it worth ? If such a tree 

 is taken by a railroad company, or by the public for 

 a highway, the owner then considers it of real and 

 substantial value, and can prove, that it is worth 

 from sixty to an hundred dollars. Suppose, how- 

 ever, the real value of such a tree to be but fifty 

 dollars, is it not obvious, that a farmer, who is will- 

 ing to forego present or immediate profit, may by a 

 small investment in the outset, lay the foundation for 

 very greatly enhancing the annual productive value 

 of his farm in the course of a few years ? He may, 

 in this way alone, double the real and intrinsic value 

 of his estate. There are, in this county, examples 

 of eminent success in this course of husbandry. It 

 IS true, there are risks from the elements, and other 



