314 



THE FOLIAGE 



THE FRUIT 



that the height of the plant needs to be set 

 down accurately. Hardiness is of little impor- 

 tance with heath-fruits, but such other con- 

 stitutional characters as productiveness, adapt- 

 ability to soils and climates, and susceptibility 

 to pests count for as much in the descriptions 

 of these fruits as with any others. Most of the 

 cranberries are picked with scoops, so that it is 

 necessary to state in a description whether or 

 not a varietyjis adapted to scoop-picking. 



The method of propagating cranberries is by 

 cuttings, which are obtained by mowing vig- 

 orous vines in an old bog with a scythe; some 

 varieties are much better adapted to this 

 method of propagation than others, and state- 

 ments as to suitability for propagation have 

 value in a description. No doubt it will be 

 found that species and varieties of blueberries 

 vary greatly in their adaptability to methods of 

 propagation, which seem to be difficult at best, 

 so that statements in detail as to the best 

 method of propagating species or varieties of 

 blueberries ought to be valuable in any de- 

 scription of this fruit. 



The methods of planting and caring for the 

 heath-fruits differ so greatly from those em- 

 ployed with other fruits, that it will require 

 many years to determine which are best. 

 Meanwhile, it may be found that species and 

 varieties differ greatly in their requirements 

 for planting and care, so that, while scarcely 

 permissible with older fruits, some cultural 

 directions can well be given in describing 

 heath-fruits. These, of course, can be given 

 only by those who have expert knowledge, 

 and can hardly be included in a manual of 

 pomology such as this. 



The foliage. 



The size, shape, position, and angle of at- 

 tachment of leaf- and flower-buds may be used 

 in identifying heath-fruits, as they are with 

 the fruits longer under cultivation, in which 

 data as to these characters are considered 

 valuable in a full description. Certainly the 

 leaves must be fully described in any descrip- 

 tion worth taking. The size, color, shape, and 

 texture of the leaves must be faithfully re- 

 corded. Leaves of heath-fruits are small and 

 simple in outline, so that drawings can well 

 accompany descriptions. 



In separating species of these fruits, size, 

 shape, and color of leaves are fine marks of 

 distinction, and no doubt the pomologist will 

 find them as valuable in separating varieties. 

 In some species the leaves are evergreen; in 

 others, deciduous. The leaves of V. pennsyl- 

 vanicum, one of the blueberries offering pos- 

 sibilities for cultivation, are glabrous south- 

 ward and pubescent northward. The leaves 

 of the small cranberry, V. Oxycoccus, are con- 

 spicuously whitened beneath, while those of 

 the large cranberry, V. macrocarpon, are but 

 slightly whitened. There is considerable dif- 

 ference in the degree of whiteness of the lower 

 surface of leaves of varieties of cultivated 

 cranberries. The margins of the leaves of the 

 low sweet blueberry, V. pennsylvanicum, are 



serrate, the teeth being bristle-pointed, while 

 the margins of the high or swamp blueberry 

 are entire in the type species, but serrate with 

 bristly teeth in two botanical varieties. 

 Whether the leaves are light-green, dark-green, 

 or blue-green is a fine mark of distinction in 

 separating species of blueberries. 



While the characters of leaves as named are 

 those used by botanists, they offer suggestions 

 to those describing the cultivated varieties. 

 So far, few varieties of blueberries have been 

 delimited from the species, but, as will be seen, 

 there are a good many varieties of cranberries 

 of which the fruits are well described, but 

 almost nothing is said of plant, foliage or 

 flower, although these organs must offer valu- 

 able means of identification as well as pecu- 

 liarities that should be taken into account in 

 cultivation. 



The flowers. 



All of the species of heath-fruits may be 

 identified by their floral organs. Of just how 

 much importance the floral organs may be in 

 the identification of the score or more varieties 

 of cranberries now under cultivation does not 

 appear from the published descriptions or 

 manuscript notes that the author has seen. 

 One may assume, however, from the distinc- 

 tions between wild types which botanists find, 

 that the floral organs can be made of use in 

 distinguishing domesticated types. Current 

 descriptions of cranberries, if the flowers are 

 mentioned at all, record only the color of the 

 blossoms, which are white more or less marked 

 with pink. The blossoming period is usually 

 mentioned, this being a matter of importance 

 because of danger from frost if the blossoms 

 appear too early. The flowering period is 

 often retarded by flooding until danger of 

 frost is past, so that it is important to state 

 whether the winter water was drawn off early 

 or late. The flowers of cranberries are borne 

 on short upright shoots of the previous sea- 

 son's growth, which are called uprights. Full 

 descriptions of varieties should contain a state- 

 ment of the average number of flowers the 

 upright bears and the number that set fruit. 



The fruit. 



The heath-fruits so far brought under cul- 

 tivation, whether species or varieties, are 

 chiefly known by their noteworthy fruit-char- 

 acters, which at once appeal to the senses of 

 sight and taste. Those describing them char- 

 acterize groups almost wholly from the fruits, 

 saying little or nothing of the plants. With 

 greater refinements in separating varieties of 

 the several species, more will be said about 

 the plants, although not less about the fruits. 



As with other fruits, season of ripening is 

 about the first character and certainly one of 

 the most important characters to be recorded. 

 The period during which the fruit may be kept 

 under the different methods of storage would 

 seem to be desirable, although it is not often 

 stated in current descriptions. A part of the 



