B154 

 (leaf 3) 



lest rabbiteye blueberry (F. virga'tum), also called southern blueberry, now 

 cultivated commercially in the Southeastern States where it is native. This 

 species, closely related to highbush blueberry, has proved hardy in Washington, 

 but its economic importance there is as yet undetermined. Thus far no at- 

 tempts have been made to improve any of the western blueberries or to cross 

 them with the cultivated highbush blueberry. The western ovalleaf blueberry, 

 which produces exceptionally large berries and is a vigorous grower, apparently 

 offers promising commercial potentialities, particularly for crossing with low- 

 growing species, such as lowbush blueberry. 6 Some of the western highbush 

 species mature their fruits so uniformly that one picking harvests the entire 

 crop. On the other hand, the cultivated blueberries ripen rather unevenly and 

 require 4 or 5 pickings. Although uneven ripening probably best satisfies the 

 fresh fruit trade and is desirable for home use, the canning industry prefers 

 berries harvested in one or two pickings. 11 Hybrids of native species and the 

 cultivated blueberries may eventually rank high in the blueberry industry of the 

 Northwest. Box blueberry, big whortleberry, ovalleaf whortleberry, and de- 

 licious blueberry (F. dclicio' sum) , are the native commercial blueberries of 

 Washington. 11 



Munson, W. M. THE HOHTICULTURAL STATUS OF THE GENOS VACCINIUM. Maine Agr. 

 Expt. Sta. Ann. Kept. (1901) 17 : [113J-160, illus. 1902. 

 11 See footnote on preceding page. 



