-2- 



As new varieties are developed, it is important to get information on their 

 cold resistance as rapidly as possible. Since nature doesn't provide temperatures 

 low enough for testing varietal cold resistance every year, shoots must be exposed 

 to artificially produced cold in order to speed up the testing process. Such 

 laboratory testing methods are not a substitute for freezing under natural 

 conditions, but they do yield valuable infoimation. When s\ifficient laboratory 

 freezing tests have been made, it is possible to predict with a fair degree of 

 accuracy what will happen in the field. 



Recently at Amherst a number of blueberry varieties, both new and old and some 

 an yt t imnamed selections, were subjected to a laboratory freezing test. The results 

 are given in the following table : 



Freezing of Blueberry Buds 2/19/53 



The fruit buds of Rubel seems to have resisted cold less well than field 

 experience would lead one to expect. On the other hand Pioneer buds appear to have 

 survived somewhat better. Among the new varieties the fruit buds of Herbert and 

 Coville may have considerable cold resistance v^rhile those of Berkeley appear to 

 have much less. 



J. S, Bailey 

 W, D, V/eeks 



