METHOD OF OUTDOOK CULTURE IN POTS. 67 



pot of 2 inches larger diameter, the space between the Avails of the 

 two pots being then filled with sand. (See PI. XVIII.) 



The practice of plunging has proved to be of the greatest im- 

 portance in securing a large growth in potted blueberry plants, as 

 will be appreciated from the description of the development made 

 under such conditions out of doors in the summer of 1909. (See p. 

 68.) In that description special attention is drawn to the superior 

 conditions of aeration in plunged pots. 



(27) Plants of thk swamp blueberry sometimes lay down flowering buds 

 at the age of seven months. 



The laying down of flowering buds is discussed in detail on pages 

 71 to 73, where a description is given of the general occurrence of this 

 phenomenon in vigorous plants one year old. The first flowering 

 buds, however, appeared much earlier. They were observed on April 

 8, 1909, on plants which were 10 days less than 7 months old. At the 

 end of the 7 months 24 plants out of 258, which constituted seven of 

 the most advanced cultures from the seedlings of 1908, had laid down 

 flowering buds. A small percentage of the seedlings of 1907 had also 

 laid down flowering buds at about the same age. The phenomenon 

 may therefore be regarded as not rare in vigorous plants of this age. 



These flowering buds, which contain the rudiments of about 7 to 12 

 flowers each, are not adapted to development into clusters of flowers 

 until they have been subjected to a period of cold. Most of the buds, 

 therefore, forming just as warm weather was approaching, withered 

 and dried on the bushes. A few flowered in 1908 and in 1909, and in 

 this latter year one plant boie ripe fruit on August 25. at the age of a 

 little more than 11 months. 



(2S) In the spring after the danger of frost was past the plants were 



REPOTTED AND PLACED OUT OF DOORS, IN HALF SHADE, PLUNGED IN SAND. 



On May 19 to 22, 1909, the seedlings of 1908 were repotted in G-inch 

 pots, in a mixture in most cases of peat 8, sand 1. and loam 1, and 

 placed outdoors. The plants in the principal cultures had at this time 

 an average height of about 9 inches, with a maximum of 15 inches. 

 The pots were plunged in sand. They were in a situation where they 

 were exposed to simlight from about 8 o'clock in the morning to 5 

 o'clock in the afternoon, and to protect them from too great heat they 

 were partially sheltered by a slat shade. The slats were 2 inches 

 wide, with 2-inch openings between. As the sun struck the slats 

 somewhat diagonally and they were half an inch thick, the plants 

 when covered by the shades received a little less than half sunlight. 

 On clear days the shades were kept over the plants from 9 o'clock 

 to 4 o'clm-k. At other hours and on cloudy days the shades were 

 removed. On August 25 the time of shading was shortened to the 

 19a 



