-7- 



9» A terminal shoot growth of about ten inches v;as best. Any increase 

 in length up to ten inches increased yield. Longer shoots v/ere apt 

 to be too vegetative for naximuai production.. 



These observations are the basis for the following improvement 

 program; 



First, romovo all trees and bushes shading the blueberries. 

 This v;ill often supply the winter's v/ood, thus making the labor servo a 

 d.iublo purpose. If valuable timber trees are present, the wTier must 

 chojse botvrocn blueberries and timber. The moiving "f lov; bushes growing 

 v.'ith the blueberries helps also. 



Second, prune the blueberry bushes in winter or early spring 

 before growth starts. Take out all dead wood first, then some of the 

 oldost stems, cutting them off four or five inches from the ground. This 

 can bo done best v;ith long-handled lopping shears. 



Third, fertilize the bushes, i^ply 200 pounds of nitrate of 

 soda per acre, jr some other nitrogenous fertilizer at a rate to give a 

 like amount of nitrogen. 



Fourth, select und tag the more productive bushes and give them 

 special care, 



J. S. Bailey 



Again Those "Ready to Boar" Trees It appoars that some folks 

 arc unduly influonc'ed by clever advertising. The term "Ready 

 to Boar", for example, brings to mind the impossible situation 

 in v/hich a fruit tree bears a full crop the first season. By 

 making such absurd clcdms tho nurseryman is able to got rid of 

 older troos v;hich he didn't happen to sell at tho proper age. 

 True, the tree may have fruit buds, but what about the roots? 

 Any fruit plant, v,-hethor tree or small fruit, should ttiko the 

 first season, or more, to develop a good root system and make 

 the vegetative grov.-th v;hich alv/ays accompanies g'Jod production. 

 The apple or tv;o which a yoiKg Itcd bears the first year is much 

 less important than tho bushel it boars at 8 years of age. 

 And the handful of raspberries on a n?;v;ly planted ci'Jie, not cut 

 back, is borne at the expense of the vigorous cones v.'hich might 

 be growing in preparation for next year's crop. 



Tale of Two Orchards One day last -u-ook v.'o came across 

 two oTciiards \.'hich may be worth noting here. They are 

 examples of tho strange things bcin^.; done undor the 

 guise of pest control. In the first orchard, tho ovmer 

 v/as breezing alongside the orchard at about 5 miles 



