BULLETI]^ l^o. 180. 



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



REPORT OF THE CRANBERRY SUBSTATION 



FOR 1916. 



BY H. J. FRANKLIN. 



The investigations were mainly along the lines pursued in 1915. Many- 

 storage tests were conducted mth the fruit, the description and results of 

 which will be found particularly interesting. 



Blueberry Culture. 



A quarter of an acre was planted with six distinct strains of specially 

 selected and bred swamp blueberry stock provided by the Bureau of Plant 

 Industry of the United States Department of Agriculture. This was done 

 under the direction of Prof. Frederick V. Coville, for the most part on 

 August 3 1, about 375 plants being set out. The rows were 8 feet apart, and 

 the plants were set at intervals of 4 feet in the row. Most of these plants 

 made some gro\vi:h during the fall, and seemed in good condition when 

 winter began. A check row of unselected stock, taken from a neighboring 

 swamp and planted on May 18, grew well during the summer. Many supe- 

 rior wild plants were selected when in fruit and marked for planting in 19 17 

 as an additional check. It is hoped that the selected blueberry may prove 

 a satisfactory substitute for cranberries on bogs v/here conditions make the 

 growing of the latter fruit unprofitable. The commercial growing of the 

 blueberry may also develop enough to compete with that of the cranberry 

 in the cultivation of swamp soils, and thus provide a new industry for 

 Massachusetts. 



Weather Observations. 



Weather observations were made as in previous years, thermometer 

 readings and amounts of precipitation being telegraphed daily to the Bos- 

 ton office of the Weather Bureau during the periods of frost danger, and 

 frost conditions being telephoned to growers on cold nights when asked 

 for. The frost damage on the Cape this season was negligible. 



