Bulletin - West Virginia Agricultural Experiment Station Volume 136-160 (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1912 Excerpt: ...of Production, Returns and Profits. The following data shows the cost of harvesting and marketing the black raspberries from a one-acre patch on Mr. Vand'ervort's farm. The cost of management from the end of the fruiting season the previous year until the beginning of harvest is estimated. Estimated cost until harvest $ 5 0.00 1868 quart boxes @ $3.00 per 1,000-5.610 78 24-quart gift crates @ 10c 7.80 Freight on packages 1.50 Picking 1868 quarts @ 2c 37.36 Cost of delivery to market 20.00 Total cost of producing and marketing $122.26 Net returns per acre $ 74.04 Duration of Plantation. Where diseases and insects are troublesome practical growers usually take only three crops and then destroy the plantation. Five to seven years is as long as profitable crops can be expected. Better fruits and better returns can be had by having new plantings coming on frequently. THE RED RASPBERRY (Rulus strigosus) The red raspberry is increasing in demand and has the following advantages over the black caps: d) The fruit is richer and more delicately flavored; (2) It is not grown so extensively and there is always a ready market for surplus; (3) The plantation will produce more crops profitably than will the black; (4) The price per quart is usually higher. Owing to the high quality, few homes can afford to leave this fruit off their garden list. Varieties. From the many varieties introduced during the last half century, the Cuthbert is the most popular. The King has also become popular in West Virginia, and the Herbert and Marlboro, are worthy of a trial. Because of its earliness, the King is being planted extensively commercially. It must be harvested while the berry is pink or it shakes off badly while being picked. The Cuthbert is the old reliable late variety with larg...