"The interest on this at ten per cent is $130. Add to this 

 $10 for wear and tear and $35 for wood and labor, which is 

 ample, the total cost of manufacture would be $180. 



"I would place the average proceeds from trees at forty 

 cents, and when we remember that a single tree has often 

 yielded six gallons of syrup in a single season, and that the 

 whole bush has averaged two gallons to the tree for a single 

 season, this seems a moderate estimate. This would give us 

 $240.00 from our 600 trees, which is $60 above 10 per cent on 

 above capital invested, and all with no risk." 



Prof. A. B. Cordley, in commenting upon the above figures, 

 says : 



"These are good showings, but they are not the best. A 



sugar bush may be considered a permanent investment which 

 will continue to pay larger and larger dividends from year to 

 year. Sugar makers have a money saver and can keep it ; from 

 the nature of the case over-production is impossible. The 

 area of maple production is very well developed, and if the 

 whole product were converted into maple syrup there would 

 not be enough to sweeten the griddle-cakes of the United 

 States for one week. Fruit lands may become unprofitable 

 on account of over-production, but there will never be an over- 

 production of maple syrup ; the supply steadily decreases, the 

 demand steadily increases. AIL we have to do is to make a 

 gilt-edged article and let people know we have it, to be sure of 

 a gilt-edged price." 



49 



