STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 89 



to one, is largely due to the advance in prices. We are not likely 

 to have any permanent retrograde. The demand is constanly 

 increasing, and a foreign demand is now springing up, induced by 

 the known superiority of American apples. 



Cider, which formerly afforded no profit, now sells readily for 

 ten dollars a barrel in any good market, and while the world is 

 full of spurious vinegar, pure cider vinegar retails at forty cents a 

 gallon and upwards ; and every bushel of apples worked into 

 cider yields a dollar in market. Liberally allowing four dollars a 

 barrel for havesting, making, freighting and selling, the cider 

 apples are worth sixty cents a bushel ; and those who have con- 

 scientious scruples against cider as a beverage, may make their 

 cider into vinegar at an equal profit. And besides this a large 

 quantity of vinegar may be made from the pomace by the addition 

 of water and pressing anew, and the further addition of a few 

 quarts of molasses to each barrel of this diluted apple juice, com- 

 monly called water cider. 



We may therefore assume that a well reared and well managed 

 orchard, not less than fifteen years of age will yield ten dollars to 

 the tree in merchantable fruit. Every such tree will yield at least 

 four or five bushels of inferior apples deemed fit for cider, besides 

 refuse apples, which may be used to feed and improve the health 

 and appease the appetites of any kind of farm stock. These all 

 together are worth, at least two or three dollars more. But to 

 keep entirely within bounds, let us assume the entire cash value 

 to be only ten dollars to the tree. This gives four hundred dol- 

 lars to the acre. 



Now let us again liberally allow one-half of this amount to com- 

 pensate repairs, care and culture, manure, gathering, packing and 

 selling, and taxes, and we have a net profit of $200 to the acre. 

 This agrees with our estimated cash product of Mr. Fisher's 

 orchard. 



Here then is an annual net income of $200 to continue as long 

 as the orchard can be kept in good bearing condition. And to 

 determine the actual value of the capital represented by this in- 

 come, we must first ascertain what sum annually taken from this 

 income and placed at interest, will in the aggregate, with the ac- 

 cumulations, produce the amount assumed to be the value of the 

 orchard, or the capital represented, by the time when the orchard 

 ceases to yield its accustomed income. The apple tree is one of 

 longevity, under proper management, the orchard will continue 



