CHAPTER IV 

 BLACKBERRIES 



THE blackberry, as a cultivated plant, is an American 

 fruit. The child of our eastern hills, woodlands and 

 mountains, its introduction to the garden and field has 

 been recent. Methods and varieties are, therefore, alike 

 new. In many localities the abundance of the wild fruit 

 still interferes with the profitable culture of the garden 

 varieties. Much improvement is yet to be expected in 

 varieties and perhaps in methods. 



According to the census of 1910, there were growing in 

 the United States in 1909 about 49,000 acres of blackberries 

 and dewberries. Missouri leads in production, with 

 nearly 6,000 acres, followed by New Jersey, with 4,332 

 and Michigan with 3,500, while Wyoming and Nevada 

 each report one acre or less. 



SOIL 



Considerable diversity of opinion exists among growers 

 regarding the soil best suited to the blackberry, a diversity 

 which is no doubt due, in part at least, to the fact that a 

 blackberry is hard to kill. It is likely to make a partial 

 success wherever it may chance to be, for it possesses a 

 genuine courage which knows no failure, and bravely sets 

 out to make the best of existing conditions. 



Many hold that only a comparatively light and poor 



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