The Ogden standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1902-1910, 1909-11-13
RAISING BLACK BERRIES
If Given Care and Attention
They Make Very Profit
able Crop
BY R 3. RUSHING.

To raise n fivc-acrc patch OF black
berries the first consideration Is tht
land Select the site most suitable.
prefer n southeastern exposure; how
ever, most any land that Will produce
forty to fifty bushels OF corn TO the acre
will grow good, nice. marketable black
berries.
The best time to set out is in the fall
have planted In November. with good
results. See that the land is free from
weeds as far as possible. and l have
practiced summer fallow I'm order &c
have il free from weeds. but think il
moro profitable to raise some hoe crop
such as potatoes. and In this way tho
ground can be kept clean and free from
weeds.
Preparing the land means enough
plowlng, disklng and narrowing to put
the soil In good condition down deep
Most any farmer can estimate about
what this would mean.
The next thing is getting the plants
and the best way 1 have ever tried Is
# you have a patch and can get roots
from il you know that they arc suitable
for your soil or else they may usually
he procured from some nearby neigh
bor, and the greatest cost will usually
bc the labor Of digging and setting
them.
have paid all the way from SO to
'25 per acre for the preparation Of the
and and the plants and labor of set
Ing.
The first year after painting the land
Fan be cultivated TO most any crop that
Hill not shade the young plants too
much: but they must not be shaded
even IL you lose the use of tho land for
the first year, as II would stunt their
growth. The second year there may be
a few berries, but not many and the
land should be put in something that
will shade it, such as cow peas. which
will also add humuS and nitrogen to
the soil
The third year there Will be a fair
crop. which will balance tho expense
pf cultivation and have little left.
The fourth year 1 have always had a
bumper" crop. which pays all expenses
for caring for the young plants and
leaves good big profit.
OF course the old canes must be kept
cleaned out, and I'm case the rust
thould strike them l try TO cut every
bit of ii out and burn II. The amount
ot profit from this berry patch viii
depend almost entirely on the manage
ment IL receives.
1 find that l can usually get from $50
to as high as $50 cases. holding TWEEN
ty-four quarts OF berries. from an acre
OF good canes. I usually figure that II
takes about 81 pcr case 10 market the
berries, paying for picking. boxes and
express.
have had berries sell all the way
from 81 TO $3.50 per twenty four quart
case, depending. Of course. on the con-
dition of the market, never sell many
berries for 81 per case. for when they
get that low / stop shipping
have sold many for $3.50 per case.
ana In a few instances have received
$3.50 per case, II is not very hard to
figure the profit, Tor anything over 81
is usually profit
Taking as an average through the
entire season $50 per case and 100
cases per acre would mean SIS net
This, however. is putting II down very
low But, then, taking 1t as they run.
some years selling for an average of
perhaps 81 per case. $50 cases would
bring In new profit of $3.50.
or course they are not likely to run
this high through tho entire season.
but | usually get over $50 cases Der
acre and am therefore able 10 make
from 500 TO $50 per acre on the aver
age.