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VARIETIES OF CULTIVATED BUJEBERRIE3 FOR tlASSACHUSETTS 



Although the blueberry variety list is short, the variety question, 

 nevertheless, is an important one. Since new varieties are being introduced 

 fairly rapidly, a periodic reappraisal of the variety situation is necessary. 

 Cabot, ipioneer, and Rubel have for a number of years been the three most 

 s'atis"factory varieties and are still the most favored by Massachusetts grow- 

 ers. Cabot is the earliest of the three. It usually starts to ripen the 

 second week in July. The bushes are relatively low, usually not over 4 to 

 4r^ feet high, spreading, and only moderately vigorous. Also, the bush is 

 very susceptible to a disease called Phomopsis gall, which looks like crown 

 gall, and is somewhat subject to winter injury. The fruit is rather taste- 

 less and not the best blue, but the size is good and yields are good. The 

 berries usually crack badly after rains and drop badly if they become over- 

 ripe. Earliness, especially for the roadside stand, is the most important 

 advantage of this variety. 



Pioneer is a midseason variety. The bush is a little taller than 

 Cabot, equally spreading, and slightly more vigorous. Because of its habit 

 of growth, it requires more detailed pruning than other varieties. The ber- 

 ries are a good blue, large when v/ell grown, very fine flavored, and good 

 keepers. Unfortunately, yields are only light to moderate. For general 

 planting it is the best of the midseason varieties. P.ubel, the latest of 

 these three, is the most desirable for all around planting. The bush is 

 tall, upright, vigorous, very productive, and resistant to winter injury. 

 The fruit has more flavor than Cabot but is not so good as Pioneer. The 

 berries are only medium in size, but their color is good and they ship well. 

 It is the easiest of the three to propagate. 



Jersey, one of the newer varieties, is well worth a trial both by the 

 commercial grower and the home gardener. The bush is tall, upright, vigorous, 

 productive., easy to propagate and prune, and resistant to vdnter injury. The 

 fruit is large, very atox active and very fine flavored when fully ripe. It 

 colors before it is fully ripe so that care must be taken not to pick it too 

 soon, else it will be soui'. The stems are long, making picking easy. It ripens 

 with Rubel, Lut the picking season is not so long. It does not sprout from 

 the base as freely a:5 is desirable.- 



Concord, a midseason variety, ripening v/ith Pioneer, is well worth a 

 trial on~C^.f;~reavTer poil.s of the northern and western parts of the state 

 where it gr'^vj-^ and yrelds yrell. It is not recciT-.iierded for southeastern Massa- 

 chusetts where it d-^s.s r.ot thrive on the light, 3f.n.'y sc\ls. On. the soils 

 where it thrives the buE^'3s are tall, upright, vigorous, and productive. The 

 fruit is Jarge and very "^.ttrautive but not quite so fint flavor^.d a.s Pioneer. 

 The fruit clusters arc tight and the berries hanr, bo the stom well so tiiat 

 the first picking or two is not so easy as with a long-rt-^nrcod vp.riety like 

 Jersey. There is a 3li,^ht tendency for the skin to t-;a:- in picking. These 

 are both serious disadvantages from a commercial strmdpoint. The fruit ripens 

 with Rubel. 



At lantic , a new variety ripening with Rubel, sesras worthy of trial, 

 AlthougTn.t has not yet fruited at Amherst, the fruit is said to be much 

 larger, better colored, and finer flavored than that of Rubel. Burlington, 



