64 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



Second, the first berries arrive from Florida about the middle of February, 

 and sell for two dollars and a half per finart, but one dollar would be a 

 more even quotation. They very soon drop to fifty cents, and sell for that 

 price for some time. Third, we have received in Boston eio:ht thousand 

 thirry-two quart crates in one day. as near as we can ascertain. Fourth, 

 the amount of berries received in Boston durino^ the season would be one 

 hundred and fifty thousand thirty-two quart crates. In two months the 

 estimate is ninety to one hundred thousand thirty-two quart crates, leav- 

 ing about sixty thousand for the other four months. This estimate is as 

 correct as could be given by the largest dealers in Boston. Trusting this 

 information will be of service to you, I remain. 



Yours truly, W. F. Burrows. 

 56 Clinton Street, Boston. 



The best prices are obtained in the northern cities, even after 

 paying the expense of sending them there. As the season advances 

 they get them from the Carolinas and Virginia, the prices going 

 down with each new shipment until people of moderate means can 

 afford to use them. Norfolk is a great shipping point. Those sent 

 from beyond Norfolk are rather poor, being picked green in order 

 to arrive in decent shape. But from there, berries are of fair qual- 

 it}' and continue to improve as we get farther north. Those from 

 Jersey are very good berries. Then we get them nearer home. 

 This makes the season ver}' long, especially in the New York and 

 Boston maikets, after receiving them from Maine. 



The Provinces are beginning to ship a few, going into market a 

 little later than ours. Most of the berries received from Norfolk 

 and New Jersey are covered with sand, smaller and of poor quality 

 compared with those we get nearer home. But after people have 

 been eating them three months or so, we must offer them a good 

 berry in order to sell to them at all It is conceded by the market 

 men, generall}^ that the Maine berries are of as good quality, both 

 as regards size and flavor, as anv that go to market, and thev usually 

 bring as good prices as an}' sold at that time. A few crates of ours 

 three years ago sold at twent}^ cents per quart, while the best prices 

 paid in Boston for their natives was but seventeen cents that season. 

 A great many southern berries are sold here in our Maine markets. 

 They do very well in the place of something better. But people will 

 not buy them when the}' can get natives, although they sell for half 

 the price of the latter. 



In starting out to raise berries by the acre I would not advise one 

 to purchase a large quantity of crates and baskets. He must have 

 some, of course, for use in his home market. If any are shipped, 



