What is the raspberry and blackberry situation in ^Nlassa- 

 chusetts to-day? If for a moment we turn back to the last 

 census report of 1910 we find that more than 650 acres at that 

 time were devoted to the production of these fruits; but during 

 the last ten years we find that the number of acres has generally 

 decreased, and I feel that our 1920 census will show that the 

 industry is not growing very rapidly in this State. However, it 

 is safe to say that, although the production has diminished, the 

 demand and consumption has greatly increased. Thus we find 

 to-day that Massachusetts is producing only a very small per 

 cent of the raspberries and blackberries consumed, and that 

 the rest are being shipped to us from New York State and 

 from the South. Therefore we wonder what are the reasons 

 for this decline, and again, turning to the present and future, 

 what are the opportunities to-day in growing these fruits. 



There have been many reasons why the growing of these 

 fruits have declined in Massachusetts, but I believe to-day 

 that most of these reasons will not hold, and for the right man 

 the growing of these delicious berries offers an attractive future. 



In many sections of our State we find favorable soil and 

 climatic conditions for these fruits, and with our markets at 

 our doors our crops may be sold even before they are produced. 

 Thus, again, we realize that we are most favorably located, for 

 what is better than fresh ripe raspberries served the same day 

 they are picked? Moreover, our markets for these fruits are 

 growing wider and wider every day, for we find that with the 

 coming prohibition the demand for fruit juices and other prod- 

 ucts is increasing rapidly. Further, we note the great develop- 

 ment of canning and preserving plants, which are to be the 

 great stabilizers of prices, and which will assure always a 

 market for our crops. But right here in Massachusetts it will 

 be some years to come before the supply will be able to meet 

 the demand for the fresh fruit, and this fact will assure us 

 high prices for quality products. 



Now, before we take up some of the essentials of success in 

 growing raspberries and blackberries, let us consider the vari- 

 ous groups of these fruits. There are, we find, three groups of 

 raspberries grown in this State: first, the red raspberries and 

 a variation from the red, — the yellow; second, the blackcaps, 



