CONTENTS. 



Page. 

 Introduction 11 



Peculiarities of growth in the blueberry plant 14 



Soil requirements 14 



(1) The swamp blueberry does not thrive in a rich garden soil of the 



ordinary type 14 



(2) The swamp blueberry does not thrive in a heavily manured soil . 17 



(3) The swamp blueberry does not thrive in a soil made sweet by 



lime 19 



(4) The swamp blueberry does not thrive in a heavy clay soil 24 



(5) The swamp blueberry does not thrive in a thoroughly decomposed 



leaf mold, such as has a neutral reaction 24 



(6) The swamp blueberry does not thrive in soils having a neutral or 



alkaline reaction, but for vigorous growth it requires an acid 



soil 26 



(7) The favorite type of acid soil for the swamp blueberry is peat. . . 31 



(8) Peat suitable for the swamp blueberry may be found either in 



bogs or on the surface of the ground in sandy oak or pine woods. 32 



(9) For active growth the swamp blueberry requires a well-aerated 



soil. Conversely, the swamp blueberry does not continue in 

 active growth in a soil saturated with water 35 



(10) Aeration conditions satisfactory for the swamp blueberry are 



prevalent in sandy soils 36 



(11) Aeration conditions satisfactory for the swamp blueberry are 



found in drained fibrous peat 37 



(12) Aeration conditions satisfactory for the swamp blueberry are 



found in masses of live, moist, but not submerged, sphagnum.. 38 

 Peculiarities of nutrition 40 



(13) The swamp blueberry is devoid of root hairs, the minute organs 



through which the ordinary plants of agriculture absorb their 

 moisture and food 40 



(14) The rootlets of healthy plants of the swamp blueberry are in- 



habited by a fungus, of the sort known technically as an endo- 

 trophic mycorrhiza 42 



(15) The mycorrhizal fungus of the swamp blueberry appears to have 



no injurious effect, but rather a beneficial effect, upon the 

 blueberry plant 44 



(16) The acid peaty soils in which the swamp blueberry thrives are 



deficient in "available" nitrogen, although containing large 

 amounts of "nonavailable" nitrogen 45 



(17) The deficiency of available nitrogen in the acid peaty soil in 



which the swamp blueberry grows best is due to the inability 

 of the nitrifying bacteria to thrive in such a soil because of its 



acidity 46 



193 5 



