1890 



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considered superior to the lamp or torch, as it is more 

 easily handled. Each section of the lease is usually 

 burned over every third year. In this way the birches 

 and alders are subdued and the Blueberries spring up 

 quickly and bear a maximum crop the year following 

 the burning. 



The Blueberries have an advantage over other small 

 fruits in that they will stand shipment better and will 

 keep longer than the others, with the exception of cur- 

 rants and gooseberries. By far the largest proportion 

 of the fruit is taken to the factories for canning. Early 



2626. " Buckboard " used in Maine to carry Blueberries 

 fr:m the fields to the cannery. 



in the season, however, before the factories are opened, 

 a considerable amount is shipped to the larger cities 

 for use while fresh. This fruit is usually shipped in 

 quart boxes, as shown in Fig. 2627. 



All of the early fruit is picked by hand and only ripe 

 berries are gathered. Later in the season, particularly 

 on "old burns," i. e., on areas which will have to be 

 burned over the next year, the fruit is gathered with a 

 "blueberry rake." This is an implement somewhat simi- 

 lar to the cranberry rake in use on Cape Cod, and may 

 be likened to a dust-pan, the bottom of which is com- 

 posed of stiff parallel wire rods. See Fig. 2628. The 

 fruit may be gathered much more quickly and more 

 cheaply by means of the rake. The bushes are, how- 

 ever, seriously injured by the treatment. In no case 

 should the rake be used in gathering the High-bush 

 Blueberries. As the berries are gathered they are 

 passed through a fanning mill to eliminate leaves and 

 twigs before being sent to the canning factory. At the 

 factory they are again submitted to a much stronger 

 winnowing. This is the only preparation required for 

 market. 



The financial importance of the Blueberry industry 

 is very difficult to estimate at the present time In 

 Maine the canning of Blueberries is largely in the 

 hands of a few packers. The largest of the factories has 

 a daily capacity of 700 bushels and the average annual 

 output is 8,300 cases of 2-dozen cans each, represent- 

 ing 6,250 bushels of fresh fruit. The average price per 

 case for the canned fruit is $1.90. The value of the 



?- n nnn *%?" this ne factor y is not far from 

 $lo,000. The total canned product of Maine's "Blue- 

 berry barrens " in 1899 was about 50,000 cases and the 

 price per case was $2.20, making the value of the Blue- 



erry * C in An tl i is one sma11 section considerably more 

 than $100,000. In northern Michigan the annual ship- 



2627. A quart box of fancy Blueberries, prepared for market. 



ss: 

 sns 



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calities. In some cases these are albino forms; in others 

 the color is due to a fungus. Albino forms of V. Myr- 

 tillus were recorded as early as 1578 by Dodoens. The 

 other species thus far recorded are: V. Vitis-Id&a 

 Pennsylvanicum, corymbosum and vacillans. It is' 

 probable, however, that many other species exhibit this 

 variation. No special reason can be assigned for this 

 difference in color. The white forms are found growing 

 (usually in colonies) by the side of the normal type. If 

 exposed to full sunlight, the fruit is very likely to have 

 a blush cheek, or even to be of a scarlet color. The al- 

 bino forms must, however, be carefully distinguished 

 from the "white berries " caused by the presence of a 

 fungous growth (Sclerotinia baccarutn). 



Propagation. In the past one chief drawback in the 

 dissemination of the Blueberries has been the difficulty 

 or supposed difficulty, of propagation. The few nur- 

 serymen who have offered them for sale have usually 

 depended upon the native heaths and pastures for their 

 supply of plants, rather than upon the nursery rows. 

 The results have been most discouraging, and the Blue- 

 berries, though among the finest of fruits, are almost 

 unknown in cultivation. 



In the case of the cranberries, propagation is effected 

 almost exclusively by cuttings (see Cranberry). With 

 the Blueberries, grafting is easily performed, and in this 

 way specially choice individuals may be perpetuated 

 For general purposes, however, seedlings or division 

 may be used. Propagation by seed naturally requires 

 care and skill, but is entirely feasible. The method fol- 

 lowed at the Arnold Arboretum, and at the Maine Agri- 

 cultural Experiment Station, where for several years 

 seedling Blueberries have been grown, is essentially as 

 follows: Seed-pans or boxes about 4 in. deep are half 

 filled with potsherds and 

 covered with a layer of 

 sphagnum, after which a 

 compost consisting of one- 

 third each of fibrous peat, 

 well - rotted sod and fine 

 sand, is used; the whole be- 

 ing firmed with the hand or 

 with a mallet. The seed, 

 washed free from the pulp 

 of freshly gathered fruit, is 

 then sown thickly, pressed 

 down lightly and covered 

 with a slight sprinkling of sphagnum. The boxes 

 are placed in a coldframe until January, when they 

 are brought to a house with a temperature of 55-60 

 and a range of 10 higher by day. As the young 

 seedlings appear, the sphagnum is gradually removed 

 and a quantity of compost sifted in among the plants. 

 The young plants are treated like other delicate seed- 

 lings, and handled about twice during the first season. 

 After Sept. 1 they are hardened off and later removed 

 to a coldframe for winter, the frames being protected to 

 retain the foliage as late as possible and covered with hay 

 or litter during the winter. The next spring the plants 

 are set about 6 inches apart in a well-prepared bed and 

 shaded until thoroughly established. Clean tillage is 

 given during the season. At the approach of winter, a 

 few inches of loam between the plants to prevent heav- 

 ing is the only protection required. The following 

 spring, or two years from seed, they may be planted out 

 permanently. Seed which is kept until dry and then 

 sown, even if given the best of care, will seldom germi- 

 nate until the second year. The low Blueberry ( V. 

 Pennsylvfinicum) will usually fruit in three to four 

 years from seed; but V. corymbosum requires four to 

 six years. See Bull. 76, Maine Exp. Sta. 



2628. Blueberry rake. 



