Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-06-29
The Blackberry Crop.

The blackberry ist the main chance,
rays our state Commissioner Of Agricui-
ture tColbnei whitehcsd). M view of the
fact OF the faiilre Of most other fruit
crops IN this State. And he advises our
people who cannot ind more profitable
employment TO 60 into the corners OF tne
worm fences and into the fields. byw9ys,
and highways. AMI satner biaehprrries
and dry them for Use or sale.
The blackberry bush Is beautffoi In Its
snowy bloom; beautiful when its berry
is a ripening red. and stiii more beautiful
when rs fruit turns into g!isten8ng black.
II tsrlves we'll under the hand 81 the eul-
tivator. but is hssriy and independent.
AMI well able to hold its own a. A vol
unteer, fInding a particularly congenial
home on road sides an,f ditch banks.
1t is a useful az well as pretty plant.
TIE gathering Of i've fruit requires little
labor, and the berry, properiy sfsared,
IA very acceptable for fable usc. and can
be easily turned into preserves or may
be dried for consumption In me winter.
n also makes good wine and brandy.
both Of which have decided medicinal
value
So our Commissioner Of Agriculture
very properly calls the attention Of the
Virginia pubic to the blackberry. and adj
vlses thst II be carefully gathered and
made ready for winter use.
The blackberry has not the aFistocratlc
o1or and daiHtny elusive taste Of the
rasrberry, nor the Iusciousness Of the
strawberry but II y richly worth the cost
Of picking. when r. shout It's only cost
in most parts Of Virginia. for il grows
abundan1y on the highways, where
every picker, young and o'd, has equal
rights I'm II. We observe that the Com
missioner Is siIent--which Is not his
woft-on the subject OF how blackberry
ing parties ought TO be formed. He
might have added that courtihg couples
going along with their elders will find the
work pastfrne. We dare say that berry
ing parties have done ss much 10 keep
the matrimonial market active I'm this
State as all our sven resorts on noun
talns or by the sounding sea.
Virginia would he a much richer State
than she IS N her People had never de-
spfsed small crops" The small crops
are what have made France wealthy.
Nearly all Frances crops are small; many
Of them indeed are N small Virginians
would consider them loo insignificant for
moments thought.
The Commissioner states that 0tir peach
ana pear crops have been almost de-
stroyed "The apple crop will be small. ~
A good crop of grapes is expected In
many counties. The blackberry crop Is
reported 10 be abundant, and there Is 4
good crop OF huckleberfies. also" The
Commissioner recommends that the buck
ieberry crop be also saved. hut doubtless
having in mind the backache that the
picking OF hucklebefries imposes, he
does not grow enthusiastic over that
crop as he does over the blackberry
cfop. "rhe blackberry Is the man
chance" says he. and we agree with
him. By the way he ought TO furnish
the blackberry country good formula
for making blackberry wine and cordial
The DISPATCH has done this for several
years past but we cannot but believe
that n recipe having on 1t the great
seal of the Department Of Agriculture
Of Virginia would prove even more &C.
ceptable than ours.