HOUSE Concurrent RESOLUTION 101

(By Delegates Iaquinta, Hamrick and Queen)

[Introduced March 24, 2017]

Declaring and making the blackberry the official state berry of West Virginia.

Whereas, It is hard to trace the exact origin since blackberries proliferate all over the globe, but it is likely the first were in Asia, North or South America or in Europe. Greeks and Romans used blackberries in medicine, and Native Americans used them for food, medicine and to dye animal skins. Blackberries are also known as bramble, brummel, brambleberry and bly; and

Whereas, The formal name of the blackberry is Rubus fructicosus, and there are more than 40 species. Blackberries were always considered wild, so in the early days they were not cultivated. Those who wanted the berries would travel to where a bush was growing and gather them. Development of the blackberry is relatively modern and was done mostly in America. Judge Logan began to breed blackberries in California and introduced loganberries, a relative of blackberries, in 1880. Identifying species is difficult because so many types of blackberry plants have crossbred by themselves. Luther Burbank attempted to develop a thornless berry in 1921, but the flavor lacked. Recently the Triple Crown berry was introduced and is a good-tasting, thornless berry; and

Whereas, The blackberry has been used to treat fever for more than 2,000 years. The berry was not often used in medicinal applications but the root, bark and leaf was. They were boiled in water and given as medicine for whooping cough. Other illnesses thought to be cured by blackberry were bites from venomous creatures, boils and sore throats. In 1771, it was documented that blackberry decoctions would cure ulcers; and

Whereas, Blackberries taste good and have been used to make all kinds of sweets or eaten plain for centuries. In 1696, the London Pharmacopoeia documented information about blackberries being used to make wine and cordials. Blackberry pie, or crumble, and jam are a sweet favorite that goes back to the pioneer days; and

Whereas, Blackberries are also part of folklore as they were thought to protect against spells and curses if gathered during a certain phase of the moon. Children with hernias were known to pass through an arched area in the bramble to cure them. Boils were supposed to be cured when the sufferer crawled through the brambles. It is more likely the thorns simply lanced the boils; and

Whereas, Native Americans used blackberry canes and vines to make twine. Blackberry bushes were often planted around European villages to offer protection against enemies and large animals that would do harm. The brambles provide protection to wildlife, including deer and birds. The berries have been known to be used to make an indigo or purple dye; and

Whereas, In addition to having a long and illustrious history, blackberries have a long and colorful tradition in West Virginia as well. It is hard not to talk to someone about blackberries and not have them tell you the many memories they had of picking blackberries on the many hillsides of the state; and

Whereas, Many blackberry pickers began picking blackberries with their mothers and grandmothers on hillsides that had been partially cleared for grazing. They would put wire hangers in empty Karo syrup cans, pick them full of berries and empty them into large washtubs. The washtubs loaded with blackberries would then be carried home where they would be eaten, cobblers made, canned, jams, jellies and even wine made from the luscious blackberry. The jams and jellies would be spread on biscuits baked in wood cook stoves and canned berries would be eaten or baked in pies as a treat during the harsh mountain winters when pleasures were few; and

Whereas, While forests have overtaken many of the hillsides where blackberries once were king, they continue to thrive throughout the state and are worth their weight in gold to those who venture out seeking the succulent fruit. In fact, as late as the 1980s, blackberries grew wild along the banks of the Kanawha River on either side of the State Capitol; and

Whereas, There is no berry so ubiquitous in West Virginia as the blackberry and none that has meant more to its history, culture and traditions; therefore, be it

Resolved by the House of Delegates:

To declare and make the blackberry the official state berry of West Virginia; and, be it

Further Resolved, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates forward a certified copy of this resolution to Kent Leonhardt, Commissioner, West Virginia Department of Agriculture, the West Virginia Future Farmers of America, the Editor of Goldenseal, the magazine of West Virginia traditional life, the West Virginia University Extension Service and the West Virginia Farmers Market Association.