WILD FRUITS WORTHY OF SOME ATTENTION. 287 



in a small way by amateurs and for trial at some of the 

 experiment stations. In Wisconsin the area in which the 

 wild plant thrives is gradually growing less, mainly by the 

 extension of stock-growing with its tramping and pastur- 

 ing, and the same is true at the East to greater or less 

 extent. The time has come when special efforts should 

 be made to bring it under cultivation and improve it by 

 culture, selection, arid possibly by crossing. As yet so 

 little has been done that we have no reliable printed 

 instruction relative to its propagation, culture, selection 

 of soils, or management. So far the experience at the 

 AVest and the East seems to favor the belief that the high- 

 bush varieties are most valuable for cultivation. The low- 

 bushed species, such as Vaccinium Canadense, V. Penn- 

 sylvanicum, and V. vacillans, grow on sandy soil and do 

 not seem to thrive or bear well on common cultivated 

 land. 



The species that are grown on low rich land, and even 

 in swamps, so far seem to best adapt themselves to new 

 conditions under culture. The Vaccinium Canadense is 

 a Northern species and exceedingly variable, as it is found 

 in the Eastern, Central, and Northwestern States. As 

 obtained from the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains 

 it has thriven better in Iowa under culture with some 

 mulching than other species tested at that time. 



The high-bush blueberry ( Vaccinium corymbosimi) grows 

 naturally on good soil and is exceedingly variable in bush 

 and fruit. These two species are probably the best for 

 improvement and culture. Without doubt, seedling pro- 

 duction and selection will give the most speedy results in 

 adapting varieties to special soils and to improve the fruit 

 in size and quality. 



Jackson Dawson has been widely quoted as saying: 

 ' The growing of huckleberries and blueberries from seed 



