June, 1940] Markets for New Hampshire Berries 35 



erage of 126 quarts for hotels, and 35 quarts each for camps and 

 tourist homes. 



Since supplies to about half of these customers are insufficient, 

 and satisfactory service on supplies is available to less than one- 

 third of them, it appears that opportunity exists to increase sales to 

 these buyers. The grower can make direct deliveries and thus has 

 some control over the condition in which the berries reach the user. 



Because of the perishability, growers are in a particularly good 

 position to feature direct-to-consumer trade. Offerings of berries 

 of better quality and in better condition would undoubtedly stimu- 

 late sales. Improved varieties, better production practices, greater 

 care in picking, and an effort to move the berries quickly to the con- 

 sumer \\ ill all greatly assist in increasing sales of blackberries. 



Boston supplies and prices 



Since blackberries are produced on only a small scale in Xew Hamp- 

 shire at present, the Boston market is of no ])articular interest now. 

 If larger quantities of berries of satisfactor}- quality sh(^uld be pro- 

 duced in this state they would become available for market between 

 the ])eriods in which the bulk of the Xew Jersey and Washington 

 blackberries come on the market. 



In 1939, the wholesale prices for blackberries from Xew Jersey 

 ranged between IS^/^ cents and 21 cents per quart during the first 

 three weeks of August. The largest supplies from \\'ashington 

 came during the third week in August. 



Blueberries 



Blueberry Production in New Hampshire 



IT IS MORE difficult to determine the total production of wild 

 * blueberries than of cultivated berries of any kind. The census re- 

 ports may not include records of blueberries picked by children and 

 city people. Actual production is larger than is shown by census 

 figures or figures obtained from commercial producers. 



The 1929 census included data from more individuals than did rec- 

 ords since that time. Production for that year was given as 171,268 

 (juarts. Hillsboro and Belknap counties together accounted for 65 

 per cent of the total crop. Alton and Xew Ipswich were the largest 

 producing towns and accounted for 44 per cent of the production of 

 the state in that year. 



The three leading counties and principal producing towns in each 

 county according to the 1929 census were : 



County Quarts Town Quarts 



Hillsboro 74.423 New Ispwich 48,607 



Belknap 36,514 Alton 26,581 



Cheshire 21,048 Rindge 12,473 



Comparative returns 



Maine and X^ew Hampshire are the two leading blueberry pro- 

 ducing states in New England. According to the 1929 census Maine 



