Huckleberries or Blueberries 363 



ing, which with some species is considerable, and which 

 is evidently supposed to be much greater with all than 

 it really is. But the greatest drawback has undoubtedly 

 been the difficulty experienced in propagating. The 

 spread of any plant in cultivation is largely dependent 

 upon the nurserymen, and one which they find it hard 

 and expensive to propagate is not likely to become widely 

 cultivated. Both the difficulty in propagation and the 

 indifferent results often attending attempts to grow it, 

 have been largely due to the fact that the peculiar needs 

 of the plant have not been understood until very recently. 



The wild berry fields are yearly growing less. While 

 many mountainous tracts are doubtless worth more as 

 huckleberry patches than for any other purpose, unless 

 it be to produce forests, on much of this land the huckle- 

 berry must give place to something else as time goes on 

 and civilization and agriculture improve. But the huckle- 

 berry is too fine a fruit to lose, and it is a source of gratifica- 

 tion to note that recent investigations are proving that 

 it can be propagated and grown with full hope of success 

 if the proper localities are chosen and the correct methods 

 followed. The future of this fruit ought to be assured, 

 for it is a promising one. It has no menacing thorns and 

 its desirable qualities are numerous. 



Commercially, the huckleberry is a fruit of very con- 

 siderable importance, being gathered and shipped into 

 the city markets in large quantities. The receipts in New 

 York city are said to exceed 2,000 bushels a day in the. 

 height of the season, while the entire quantity sold is 

 estimated to be ten times that of any other berry. 1 The 

 iAmer. Garden, 12: 18, 565. 



