125 



STATEMENT OF L. H. BASSETT. 



The field of blackberries entered for premium by me were 

 grown upon rather a light soil with a hard pan bottom. The 

 variety, " Wachusett Thornless," the best kind, I think, to 

 grow here on account of its extreme hardiness. The berry is 

 of medium size and very fine flavor, and will produce, I think, 

 more than any other variety. They were set four years 

 ago this spring. The first crop picked from them was 321 

 boxes ; this was the second year. The third year from setting 

 I picked 1123 boxes. The fourth year from setting, that is 

 the present season, we picked 1556 boxes, which were sold on 

 an average, 12| cents per box, which equals $144.60. They 

 were grown upon three-eighths of an acre. 



I trim out the old wood early in the spring, then manure 

 them ; cultivate the manure thoroughly into the soil ; I then 

 give them the first and only hoeing for the year ; I spread my 

 manure over the ground between the rows. They have been 

 manured twice, the first year they were set and last spring — 

 one cord the first time, one and one-half the last. The kind 

 of manure used was good horse manure. Cost of hoeing and 

 cultivating, 15. I hill them up about the same as you would 

 corn. The plants are set about three feet apart in the rows ; 

 rows seven feet apart. The cost of picking and marketing is, 

 I think, about four cents per box. 



The land the berries are set on was planted to potatoes 

 one year before they were set. I entered them for premium 

 for the largest crop of berries, with small amount of manure 

 and little care. 



1556 boxes at 12| cts. per box, 1194.50 



Manure, $12.00 



Labor, 5.00 



Picking and marketing, 60.00 



Trimming, 3.00 



80.00 



$114.60 



