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A good example of this type of practice Is the mulching practice, now in- 

 cluded in the State Program as Practice E-4. For many years this practice 

 appeared in the National Agricultural Conservation Program. Then for several 

 years it was dropped. Last year one county, feeling the need for this type of 

 practice, requested and obtained approval to offer cost-sharing in their county 

 for mulching. Soon a request was received from an adjoining county, and it was 

 obvious for the 1962 program that several counties were going to request the in- 

 clusion of this practice. Apparently other counties in other states felt the 

 need for this practice to the extent that the National Program itself was amended 

 in 1962 to include as one of the practices offered nationally this practice of 

 mulching orchards and vineyards. 



If the Agricultural Conservation Program does not provide the type of prac- 

 tice and the percentage of cost-share which is necessary to correct a particular 

 conservation problem, it is the responsibility of those farmers having this 

 problem to make every effort to obtain the local practice required to meet this 

 need. Only through this method can the Agricultural Conservation Program achieve 

 its basic objective of necessary conservation of our soil and water resources. 



—Leslie C. Kimball 



State Administrative Officer 

 Agricultural Stabilization 

 and Conservation Service 



I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I 



THE BLUEBERRY BUSH IS AN INTERESTING PLANT 



Now that the blueberry crop is all harvested and it's too early to start 

 pruning, it's a good time to take a look around and study the bushes. Even this 

 late in the season you can make some Interesting observations. 



Note that the terminals where the fruit was borne have died. This is per- 

 fectly normal and to be expected. A study of these dead tips will tell you 

 whether the fruit was borne on the more vigorous shoots on the outside of the bush 

 or on the shorter ones in the Interior of the bush. This observation is Important 

 because It will show you where to look for the fruit buds which will produce next 

 year's crop and thus help In deciding where and how much to cut when you prune. 



Now look over the new shoots produced this year. On some varieties you will 

 observe that there is new soft growth. In fact, the shoot may be still growing. 

 Some varieties have a marked tendency to make this secondary growth. The bushes 

 make a first flush of growth in spring and early summer, stop for a while, and 

 then in late summer and fall make a secondary growth which may continue till 

 frost. This late growth is soft and tender and seldom survives the winter. 



Now take a look at the bark. On the new shoots that were grown this year 

 you will find smooth, yellow, or green, or brown bark. On branches three or 

 four years old you will find old, gray, rough bark. On the sections of branches 

 two years old you will find a transition zone. Some of the bark will have the 

 characteristics of young barl<. and some spots will be starting to get rough and 

 turn darker. Sometimes the uninformed get disturbed because they think this 



