32 University of New Hampshire [Sta. Bull. 321 



Blackberries 

 Blackberry Production in New Hampshire 



D LACKBERRIES arc among the least inipcirtant small fruits in 

 •^ New Hampshire. Returns per acre are smaller than from other 

 cultivated small fruits. While this may be partly due to their poorer 

 adaptation to our ct)nditions, it is also partly due to the ])(K)rer care 

 thev receive. However, according to the 1929 census, both yield and 

 value per acre in Xew Hampshire were greater than for New Eng- 

 land as a whole. 



Blackberry Production 



Xo real commercial patches of blackberries have been seen in Xew 

 Hampshire and only a small number of plantings have been noted 

 which receive the care that a commercial j^atch should receive. An 

 insufficient number of records has been obtained to give a satisfac- 

 tory picture of production in the state. A considerable ])ortion of 

 the l)erries are picked from wild plants or ])atches which have l)een 

 given little attention. 



Reference must be made to census data even though no figures 

 are available since 1929. At that time Sullivan. Belknap, and Graf- 

 ton counties produced about half of the blackberries in the state. 



Average production per acre varied from 333 quarts in Carroll 

 covnity to 1428 quarts per acre in Cheshire county. Average for the 

 state was 780 quarts per acre. But since so small a portion of the 

 acreage is given good care the production figures and returns are 

 not very suitable for comparison with those of strawberries and 

 raspberries. 



Varieties of blackberries grown 



X'arieties of I)lackberries ct)mmonly reported by growers are Eldo- 

 rado. Sn\der. Blower, antl Alfred. The cpiality of Eldorado is much 

 better than Snyder I)ut the latter a])i)ears to have the advantage of 

 greater hardiness. 



It seems doubtful whether a satisfactory trade can be built up 

 with a lilackberry of such ])oor cpiality as Snyder. We need a good 

 f|uality variety which is hardy and which will give a dependable yield. 



\\erage i^roductinn of blackberries per acre, as reported in the last 

 four census periods, was 1044 (piarts and the average returns ])er 

 acre for the last three periods was a])proximately $148. Xo increase 

 in blackberry ])lanting is indicated. Higher (|uality and heavier pro- 

 ducing varieties arc nt'eded to eninurage further plantings. 



See ap])endix (Table III) for comparative census data, 1899-192'^ 



Blackberry Prices 

 Prices to growers 



Growers reported a range in average jobl)ing prices in 1938 of 10 

 cents to 19 cents a quart and retail prices averaged 12.5 cents to 20 

 cents a quart. Averages for all growers reporting were 11.5 cents 

 for jobbing sales and 16.9 cents for retail sales. 



