October, 1921 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



ess 



quarters of an incli in diameter, fruited in New 

 Jersey from hybrid seedling^s raised at Washing- 

 ton. Their berries are very much larger than any 

 of the native Florida blueberries. We do not know 

 •whether these hybrids, which are of northern par- 

 entage, will do well in the climate of Florida, for 

 they require a period of two to three months' win- 

 ter chilling at a temperature of 40 degrees or less. 

 I am sending you today a pamphlet entitled "The 

 Influence of Cold in Stimulating the Growth of 

 Plants," in which this important principle is de- 

 scribed. Very truly yours, 



Frederick V. Coville, 

 Washington, D. C, Aug. 27, 1921. Botanist. 



The pamphlet alluded to in the above 

 letter is a beautiful little book of perhaps 

 40 pages, illustrated with many blueberry 

 outs, entitled ' * The Influence of Cold in 

 Stimulating the Growth of Plants." It re- 

 fers particularjy to Dr. Coville 's experi- 

 ments with the blueberry, and it proved to 

 be of exceeding interest to me, as I have for 

 years past been studying the influence of 

 cold in bringing on a resting period for 

 plants that they may start with vigor in 

 the spring. Some years ago we did quite a 

 business in shipping rhubarb plants down 

 to Florida; but unless we had quite a freeze 

 here in the North before the plants were 

 taken up it was not a success. Blueberries 

 must have a resting period, and they must 

 be submitted to a certain degree of cold — 

 that is, here in the North — -before they will 

 start with vigor; but Dr. Coville has dis- 

 covered that there is no particular need that 

 the roots be frozen nor even chilled. A 

 plant kept in a greenhouse all winter will 

 not start, or at least only very imperfectlj', 

 in the spring; but if a single branch or 

 limb of this plant or tree be allowed to 

 reach outside and get to freezing and thaw- 

 ing, it will grow all right. Before the 

 plant can start with vigor in the spring the 

 starch in the woody structure must be con- 

 verted into sugar; and the alternate freez- 

 ing and thawing does this. Dr. Coville 

 does not allude to the maple-sugar business; 

 but sugar-makers all know we must have a 

 certain degree of cold before the maple tree 

 yields its sap, and particularly the sweet 

 sap that makes the delicious sugar and 

 syrup. 



The blueberry, like most other fruit-bear- 

 ing plants, is a honey plant. Dr. Coville, 

 in speaking of this matter, and of the con- 

 version of starch and sugar in a growing 

 plant, says something in the book I have 

 been speaking of as follows: 



When this exudate of sugar occurs in flowers it 

 is known as nectar, and it serves a useful purpose 

 to the plant by attracting sugar-loving insects which 

 unconsciously carry pollen from flower to flower 

 and accomplish the beneficial act of cross-pollina- 

 tion. But sugar solution is often exuded outside 

 the flower, in positions, or at times, that preclude 

 any relation to cross-pollination. For example, a 

 blueberry plant during its rapid growth, when a 

 leaf has reached nearly full size, is sometimes ob- 

 served to exude drops of sugar solution from cer- 

 tain glands of the leaf and on the back of the mid- 

 rib. 



The price of this pamphlet that pleased 

 me so much is 30 cents. Address the Super- 

 intendent of Documents, Government Print- 

 ing Office, Washington, P, C, 



Here is something from our good friend 

 Wilmon Newell, Dean of the Florida Ex- 

 periment Station, Gainesville, Fin.: 



Dear Mr. Root: 



Huckleberries are cultivated ciiiite extensively 

 in the vicinity of Crestview and I)e Funiak Springs 

 in the western portion of the State. A Mr. Sapp 

 of Crestview has been growing the tree huckle- 

 berry for nearly 20 years and has cultivated plants 

 that are from 12 to 20 years of age. These culti- 

 vated trees, according to our district agent. H. G. 

 Clayton, are producing very well indeed. The fruit 

 is about as big as one's little finger, and a quite 

 ready market has been found thus far for the prod- 

 uct. It is said that one tree now 18 years of age 

 has produced as high as 32 quarts of the berries. 

 The price received for them was from 15c to 20c a 

 quart. 



The cultivation of this plant in that part of the 

 State has been snfficiently successful so that others 

 are going into it and putting out orchards of this 

 plant. 



One of the very interesting things about this 

 variety is that it i.s a native shrub in the swampy 

 hammocks of west Florida, and this is where the 

 people of that community got their start witli it. 

 I also understand that the nursery at Oldsmir. to 

 which you refer, got their stock from Mr. Sapp at 

 Crestview, who in turn got his from the wood-;. It 

 seems that the favorite place in the woods for these 

 shrubs is around the margins of pine "islands," 

 which occur in the swampy hammocks. 



So far as we can learn, no particular attention 

 has been paid in that part of the State as to whether 

 or not the plants are planted on acid soils. No 

 attention seems to be paid to this phase of the 

 question at all, yet the plantings that have thus far 

 come into fruiting seem to be doing all right. 



Wilmon Newell. 



Gainesville, Fla.. .Tuly 29, 1921. 



In regard to Alabama we have had just 

 one report as follows, and this is from a 

 lady; and as our good friend Elizabeth 

 White was the first to introduce cultivated 

 blueberries in the North, it is quite fitting 

 that a woman should be the pioneer in the 

 work in Alabama: 



Could you advise me of any one who can use up- 

 land huckleberry plant.s? I have three different 

 varieties. These are (1) the extra large blueberry. 

 (2) the medium-sized blueberry, and (3) the me- 

 dium-sized blackberry. All are delicious for pies, 

 desserts, etc. The berries are in full prime during 

 the month of June in southern .Alabama. I can 

 ship plants from now until February at anv date. 

 (Mr.s.l S. a". Bradshaw. 



Luverne, Ala., Route No. 4, Aug. 8, 1921. 



In regard to your letter of Aug. 13, berries are 

 all gone now. They are in prime during the 

 months of June and July. No doubt but that they 

 are just like what you had pictured in August ' 

 Gleanings. 



No. 1, extra large bluberry, grows from 1 to 3 

 feet high, and has large clusters of berries. Nos. 

 2 and 3 grow from 12 to 18 inches high : rather 

 low bush}' varieties; have small rlusfevs, from 3 to 

 6 berries to cluster, but really bear more berries 

 than No. 1. S. A. Bradshaw. 



Luverne. Ala., Rt. 4, Aug. 27, 1921. 



Mrs. Bradshaw 's advertisement will be 

 found in our advertising columns. 



As inquiries are coming already as to 

 where the plants can be obtained, I am glad 

 to tell you that my "long-time friend," E. 

 N. Eeasonor of the Royal Palm Nurseries, 

 Oneco, Fla., is now prepared to furnish the 

 plants. In answer to an inquiry he has just 

 written me as below: 

 Dear Mr. Root: 



We will have the Orchard Tree Blueberry, direct 

 from Mr. Sapj), for winter planting, at 5bc each, 

 $4.50 per 10, or $40 per lOo, in good strong stock. 



Oueco, Fla., Aug. 2T, 1921. E. N. Re»8oner, 



