“Money doesn’t grow on trees” is a popular financial proverb from at least the early 19th century. “If money doesn’t grow on trees, why do banks have so many branches?” was cited in print in 1966 and was featured in many newspapers in 1967 as a “Today’s Chuckle.” The anti-proverb is still included in many joke lists.
“The bank wants to repossess my tree house. I’m convinced it’s a mix up from when I moved branches” is another bank “branch” joke.
Newspapers.com
9 June 1966, Front Page (Blasdell-Woodlawn, NY), (“Bits About Blasdell” by Emily Lehman, pg. 6, col. 3:
Queries little “Marian,” “if money doesn’t grow on trees, why do banks have branches?”
17 August 1967, Cedar Rapids (IA) Gazette, pg. 1, col. 3:
Today’s Chuckle
If money doesn’t grow on trees, why do banks have so many branches?
Google Books
20,000 Quips & Quotes
By Evan Esar
New York, NY: Barnes & Noble Books
1995, ©1968.
Pg. 62:
If money doesn’t grow on trees, why do the banks continue to sprout branches?
Google Books
December 1997, Boys’ Life, “Think & Grin,” pg. 61, col. 2:
Father: Son, why do you want so many expensive things for your birthday? Don’t you know money doesn’t grow on trees?
Son: Well, if money doesn’t grow on trees, why do banks have branches?
— Jared White, Jacksonville, Fla.
Google Books
February 2008, Boys’ Life, pg. 52, col. 2:
Warped Wiseman wonders: “If Tom money doesn’t grow on trees, then why do banks have branches?”
Ethan Hobson, Boulder, Colo.
Google Books
So? Whatever!: 365 Laughs and Devotionals
By Charles Jones and Mary Crisp
Bloomington, IN: CrossBoooks
2010
Pg. 100:
A mom was grocery shopping with her young son and the boy kept picking up things that were not on her grocery list. Frustrated, she finally said, “You know you cannot have everything you want. Money doesn’t grow on trees!” The young boy looked up at his mom and inquired, “If money doesn’t grow on trees, why do banks have branches?”
The Mafia Boss Forum
DonOfNYC
05-24-2012 09:31 PM
If money doesn’t grow on trees, then why do banks have branches?
Does anyone have an answer to this?
MichaelJ
05-24-2012 09:35 PM
Money is made from trees, well they were, Tender is a type of paper and paper comes from trees
In Canada, our bills are plastic, so technically here it doesnt grow on trees
And another term for branch is splitting into more subdivisions which is why banks are called branches, they are branches of there main bank.
Above, a 1934 plaque from the Big Apple Night Club at West 135th Street and Seventh Avenue in Harlem. Discarded as trash in 2006. Now a Popeyes fast food restaurant on Google Maps.
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Above, Big Apple Corner at 54th Street and Broadway in Manhattan. Google Maps. Stolen and missing, 2021-2024.
Above, John J. Fitz Gerald, from the Aug. 15, 1931, Binghamton (NY) Press, pg. 14.
Listen to Robert Emmerich introduce "The Big Apple," a hit song from 1937. Music written by Bob and performed by Tommy Dorsey's Clambake Seven with Bob on piano. Lyrics written by Buddy Bernier and sung by Edythe Wright. Audio provided by Dorothy Emmerich.
Also listen to a 1937 "The Big Apple" song by Ozzie Nelson and his Orchestra. See a 1929 photo of John J. Fitz Gerald and a 1931 photo of John J. Fitz Gerald.
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