1905 FORESTRY AND IRRIGATION 53 



bushes sprout and grow a few inches, wisest policy is to utilize the present 



The second year they yield a full crop blueberry barren areas to the fullest 



of berries. The third season the crop extent, and not to encroach further 



is small and of little value, and the upon the forests, except as the growth 



bushes reach a condition in which they of the industry makes it profitable to 



can be burned most effectively. take old cut-over lands for this pur- 



Under this system of blueberry cul- pose. 



tttre the land does not "run out" with The interest o East . 



constant use for the same crop. Where Irrigation for grn a ^ r } cu i tur } sts [ n 



.the burning has been properly done the East. the tice of irri 



the same tracts have grown blueber- tion is growing ste adil y . A recent 



ries continuously for 50 years without editorial of the New Yo rk Sun is per- 



showing any decrease in the yield. tinent and deserves the attention of 



But if the land is burned over at the farmers and economists alike. The 



wrong time of the year, or the roots editorial in quest i O n is quoted in full : 



of the bushes are badly injured by fire, The irrigation o our arid regions 



many years are required to restore the has commanded much attention, but 



productive capacity of the tract. The the system may profitably be extern',, d 



best time for burning is when the far beyond t h em , though the un.ler- 



meltmg snow leaves the ground wet stand i ng o f its value is comparatively 



and the tops of bushes dry. After new to this part of the Union. A few 



May loth burning is very injurious, truck and other f armers in Nev/ York 



unless the spring is exceptionally late. and neighboring States have tried it 



The canning companies own most f or years, and they have found that 

 of the blueberry lands in Maine, ex- irrigation in the East is profitable. A 

 cept some small 25 or 3O-acre private gradually widening circle of agricul- 

 holdings. Pickers from company turists lias been brought over to this 

 lands get 3 cents a quart, while private view. It is a little strange perhaps that 

 owners receive about 6 to 8 cents a our farmers generally did not take 

 quart for their berries. The picking more rapidly to the idea, for they are 

 season lasts six weeks. A rapid pick- on i y j us t beginning to repeat the ex- 

 er makes from $4 to $8 a day; if he perience of farmers in France, S wit- 

 has a large family to help him it is not zerland and Italy, where some of the 

 unusual for him to make $600 or $800 irrigated districts have a larger annual 

 in the six weeks. This makes the in- rainfall than the Mississippi Valley, 

 dustry very popular among the pickers, "During the past year the Depart- 

 and increases the danger that forest ment of Agriculture has been making 

 fires will be set or permitted to burn investigations in our humid regions, 

 through good timber in order to in- particularly in the eastern part of the 

 crease the extent of blueberry barrens, country. Its report, just published, 



In addition to the 2,600 acres of deals almost exclusively with the ir- 

 present barrens, there are in Hancock rigation of market garden crops, 

 county over 5,000 acres which have was found that many of the market 

 been reduced almost to a barren con- gardeners of Long Island, New Jersey 

 dition. Here, if necessary, this in- and Massachusetts are beginning to 

 dustry could be profitably extended, discover that it is very profitable to 

 But when lumbering and fires have irrigate their crops. In nearly every 

 not materially depleted the forests, the season there are periods of little rain 

 land should be continued under forest during which the growth of vegeta- 

 cover, and the stand improved. The blcs is seriously checked. The proper 

 opportunity is ample for a proper ex- application of water at these times pre- 

 tension of blueberry culture without vents the diminution of the crops that 

 invading valuable forest lands, which would otherwise occur, 

 should be protected from fire. The "At other seasons when the rainfall 



