[Cir. 12J— A.] 



DIRECTIONS FOR BLUEBERRY CULTURE/ 



By Frederick V. Coville, Botanist in ClKinjv of Ta.roiioinic <ind Range 



Iiirc-^tigatioiLs. 



SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS. 



Success in blueberry culture rests especially on the recognition of 

 two peculiarities in the nutrition of these i)lants: P'irst. their require- 

 ment of an acid soil ; secondly, their possession of a root fungus that 

 appears to have the beneficial function of supplying them with 

 nitrogen.^ 



If blueberries are planted in a soil with an alkaline or neutral 

 reaction, such as the ordinary rich garden or fertile field, it is useless 

 to expect their successful growth. In such a situation they become 

 feeble and finally die. Blueberries require an acid soil, and they 

 thrive best in that particular type of acid soil Avhich consists of a 

 mixture of pure sand and peat. The peat may be of either the bog 

 or the upland sort. 



Good aeration of the soil is another essential. It is commonly but 

 erroneously supposed that the swamp blueberry (Vaccinium corym- 

 hosum), the species chiefly desirable for cultivation, grows best in a 

 permanently wet soil. It is to be observed, however, that the wild 

 plants of the swamps occupy situations which, though perhaps sub- 

 merged in winter and spring, are exposed during the root-foi-ming 

 period of summer and autumn or, when growing in ]3ermanently 

 submerged places, they build up a hummock or a cushion of moss 

 which rises above the summer water level and within which the feed- 

 ing roots of the bush are closely interlaced. In actual culture, more- 

 over, it has been found that the swamp blueberry does not thrive in 

 a permanently wet or soggy soil. 



Although some species of Vaccinium, such as the common low- 

 bush bluebeiTy (F. pennsyloanicum) , grow^ and fruit abundantly in 

 sandy uf)lands that are subject to drought, the swamp blueberry 

 grows best in soils naturally or artificially supplied with adequate 

 moisture. 



1 Issued Apr. 10, 101."). 



- For a full discussion of tlR' principles of blueberry culture, includinj;' the soil retpiire- 

 ments and peculiarities of nutrition of the blueberry plant and the details of the grow- 

 ing of seedlinss, consult Experiments in Blueberry Culture, Bulletin lO.'J, Bureau of Plant 

 Industry, lltll. 



3 



[Cir. 122] 



