34 University of New Hampshire [Sta. Bull. 321 



satisfaction of both the retailer and the customer. 



A really enterprising grower can capitalize on these apparent dif- 

 ficulties because the opportunity for making an improvement is 

 great. 



Retail survey in Laconia 



Information concerning purchases of blackberries was obtained 

 from 36 independent stores in Laconia and Lakeport in 1938. Few 

 stores carried blackberries because of the limited demand and high 

 perishability. Supplies were rated as poor to fair and quality fair to 

 good. 



No. stores 36 



Stores selling blackberries 5 (14%) 



Averaj^c weekly purchases per store 45 qts. 



Total purchases for season 136 qts. 



Per cent stating quality as good 80 



Per cent stating quality as fair 20 



Per cent stating supply was fair 20 



Per cent stating supply was poor 80 



Hotel, camp, and tourist home sales 



Data on purchases of blackberries and prices paid were obtained 

 from hotels, camps, and tourist homes in 1937. Hotel purchases av- 

 eraged 126 quarts or about three times those of tourist homes and 

 boys' and girls' camps. Purchases of blackberries were much small- 

 er than purchases of strawberries and raspberries. Surprisingly. 70 

 per cent stated quality was satisfactory. Quality is a relative fac- 

 tor, and it is possible that many of those who gave answers are not 

 familiar with the high quality berries which are grown in some sec- 

 tions of the countr\ . .\ summarv of information follows in Table 

 XHI. 



Table XIII. — Blackberry supplies and prices for hotels, camps, and tourist 



homes — 1937 



Tourist 



homes Hotels Camps All 



Per cent answering in the affirmative 



Arc local blackberry supplio ^ut'tRKiil: 68 48 33 51 



Is quality satisfactory? 72 65 75 70 



I<> regular delivery available for local 



supplies? 59 24 29 29 



Per cent of total supply obtained from 



nearby farmers 66 55 29 52 



What was the average price paid per 



quart? (cents) 187 16.4 18.8 17.9 



What was the average amount bought ? 



(quarto 35 126 35 64 



Direct-to-consumer sales 



In 1938. purchases of l>lackberries in season amounted to an av- 



