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Cultivated Blueberries in Bristol Coimty (By Harold 0. Woodward) 



Southeastern Massachusetts, including Bristol County, seems to be vrell 

 adapted to the infant enterprise of highbush blueberry production. The requirement 

 seems to be a high organic soil with a high constant water table, yet v.dth good 

 drainage of the top soil. These conditions are well met on our so-called dry 

 cranberry bog sites. 



Climate on the coast is modified by the ocean dulling the edge of cold spells 

 and taking some of the bite out of spring frosts. Blueberries bloom late, over a 

 considerable period and the delicate part of the bloom is inside a nearly closed 

 tell. For these reasons they quite consistently escape the frost hazard. 



Up until now grovrers have been quite successful in moving their crops locally 

 at luxury prices which means a price beyond the range of the ordinary family. As 

 volume increases the price may fall to a point comparable to that of wild berries. 

 If growers can afford to produce at such a price, and the v;riter believes they 

 can, then there is an almost unlimited outlet for this highly desirable fruit. 



We are located near a verj^ great potential blueberry market and by virtue 

 of location, ability to stand holding and shipping is loss important than with 

 berries from competing areas. In other words, a high quality berry that may tear 

 might not be at a serious disadvantage in Bristol County. Occasionally, we hear 

 folks say the cultivated berry is not as good as the wild fruit. Actually, there 

 are as wide differences in blueberry varieties as in apples. Some are sweet, some 

 sour and at the same time, flavors vary. It would seem important for grov/ers to 

 learn the high quality varieties and plant for quality, size and high yield. 

 Plantings in Bristol County are on the increase and those who have well managed, 

 bearing bushes appear to be doing well with the enterprise, 



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 COI-glERCIAL HAND POLLINATIGH IN TIffi APPLE ORCHARD 



(The follovring details of hand pollination were presented at a Nashoba meeting 

 in Harvard, Kass., by Ralph C. Palmer, Associate County Agent, lionroe County, ;I.Y. 

 They are based on operations in his own orchard.) 



Commercial hand pollination in the apple orchard is suggested as an emergency 

 measure for solid blocks of Mcintosh-. Delicious and Northern Spy pending the time 

 that adequate provisions for cross-pollination can be made by interplanting or top- 

 v;orking. Bouquets and bees are also recommended in such situations. Hand pollina- 

 tion vri.ll also prove profitable ivith any self-unfruitful variety when there is too 

 little favorable Treather during the bloom for the activity of those insects 

 responsible for cross-pollination. 



In collecting pollen, only those varieties that furnish an abundance of viable 

 pollen should be used. Among these are Delicious, Hubbardston, Duchess, Tvfenty- 

 Cunce, Jonathan, Ben Davis, northern Spy, "vYinter Banana, and Wolf River. "Joalthy 

 has good pollen but it is not produced in very large quantity. Baldv/in, Rhode 

 Island Greening, Roxbury Russet and Gravenstein are worthless as pollen sources. 

 Care should alvrays be used to gather pollen of some variety other than the one to 

 be pollinated. If enough pollen of one variety cannot be obtained, it can be 

 combined with that of any other desirable variety; that is, a mixture of Duchess 

 and Delicious pollen would be quite all right to use on Northern Spy trnes. 



