No. 4.1 SMALL FRUITS AND BERRIES. 99 



GROWING SMALL FRUITS AND BEERIES. 



WILFRID WUEELER, CONCORD, MASS. 



Probably no group of fruits can be grown over as wide an 

 area geographically as the so-called small fruits ; neither does 

 any other group lend itself to such a variety of cultivation 

 as regards soil, climate and other conditions. Some member 

 of the group may be found in practically every country in the 

 world, either in cultivated or native form. The strawberry 

 in particular grows over a larger range of territory than any 

 other known fruit, and seems to be able to withstand great 

 extremes of heat and cold. While other members of the 

 gToup do not lend themselves so readily to change as the 

 strawberry, yet they are found in many different parts of the 

 world. 



Here in Massachusetts we are particularly favored in hav- 

 ing conditions favorable for the growing of all the small 

 fruits, and not only for growing them but for marketing them 

 as well. No section of the country has better soils and cli- 

 matic conditions. We have large and small farms splendidly 

 adapted to producing any or all of these fruits, while our 

 great number of cities and prosperous towns give us a market 

 for our product which is unequaled in this country. Our 

 transportation facilities are good, and there are but few sec- 

 tions where there is not a good outlet to a market. Another 

 factor for the encouragement of the small fruit gTOwer is the 

 increasing demand for these fruits by the visitors to hotels. 

 and summer resorts, so that while many farms may be sit- 

 uated away from a city market, still there is always an 

 opportunity offered by the summer boarder which should be 

 met by our farmers. 



Another element which will attract more people into the 

 business of small fruit growing, and which will become an 



