42  THE  PEPPERMINT  PLANTATIONS  OF  MICHIGAN. 
prices  ranged  somewhat  as  following  :  1844  to  1847,  at  $2.50  ; 
1847  to  1852,  at  $1.50  ;  1853,  at  $2.00  ;  1854,  at  $4.00  ;  1855  ; 
at  $3.50 ;  1856,  at  $2.50 ;  1857,  the  crop  of  which  is  yet  par- 
tially  unsold,  from  $2.00  to  $2.50. 
The  land,  with  its  improvements,  is  valued  from  $30  to  $35 
per  acre.  The  cost  of  cultivating  a  Mint  field  the  first  year  is 
$22  per  acre  ;  and  for  the  succeeding  three  years,  $5  a  year 
per  acre. 
The  following  statement  will  show  an  approximation  to  the 
amount  of  capital  invested  in  this  industry  in  our  State,  and  its 
returns  : 
2100  acres  of  Land  and  Improvements  are  valued  at  $75,000 
Total  average  value  of  Oil  to  producers  .  .  .  37,500 
Total  cost  of  Production,  including  interest  upon 
$75,000  at  7  per  cent   24,000 
Profit  to  producers  13,500 
This  profit  is  over  one-third  the  receipts  for  the  oil,  and  18  per 
cent,  upon  the  capital  employed.  Assuming  that  there  are  500 
acres  in  Mint  plant  in  Western  New  York,  and  500  acres  in 
Ohio,  which,  I  presume,  is  nearly  correct,  at  least  a  low  estimate, 
and  that  the  average  product  of  the  New  York  plantations  be 
12  lbs.  of  oil  to  the  acre,  while  that  of  Ohio  is  reckoned  at  8  lbs., 
the  total  annual  product  of  these  States  will  be  10,000  lbs., 
valued  at  $25,000 — making  the  average  value  of  the  whole  crop 
of  oil  of  Peppermint  produced  annually  in  the  United  States  to 
be  over  $63,000  to  its  producers. 
Having  in  view  the  general  interest  felt  by  our  profession  in 
such  matters,  I  was  led  to  prepare  this  Report ;  and  if,  gentle- 
men, it  has  served  to  instruct,  or  even  entertain  you,  I  shall 
rest  satisfied,  only  expressing  the  hope  that  it  may  induce  mem- 
bers who  possess  the  opportunities  requisite,  to  convey  to  the 
Association  such  information  as  they  can  collect  relative  to  those 
industries  of  our  country,  appertaining  to  our  pursuits,  and  con- 
cerning which  the  general  knowledge  is  as  yet  limited  and  ir 
definite. 
In  conclusion,  I  desire  to  express  my  obligations  to  those 
tlemen  interested  in  the  Mint  product  throughout  our  State  for 
the  valuable  aid  they  have  afforded  me ;  particularly  to  M^srs. 
S.  C.  Coffinberry,  and  Wm.  H.  Roys,  of  Constantine. 
