374 Bush-Fruits 



average profit to the acre, after deducting the cost of care, 

 harvesting, marketing, interest, taxes, depreciation, and 

 so on is placed at $116. With selected plants of improved 

 quality, the fruit output will naturally be better. 



Home culture 



It is in the home-garden, especially, that the culture 

 of this fruit should be greatly increased. Conditions 

 there will seldom be ideal, and special care will be needed 

 to secure results. The plants should be set in large 

 holes or wide trenches, about a foot deep in a mixture 

 of four parts peat or half-rotted oak leaves, to one part 

 sand, which should be well mixed. Liberal dressings of 

 similar material applied to the surface and worked in 

 with the cultivation should also prove beneficial. Fre- 

 quent repetitions of these surface applications will tend 

 to maintain the acid conditions which the plant needs. A 

 mulch of oak leaves, if it can be held in place, is useful. 



If fertilizers are needed, chemicals which leave an acid 

 residue in the soil should be chosen. Nitrogen may be 

 obtained from sulfate of ammonia, phosphorus from acid 

 phosphate, and potash from sulfate or muriate. No lime 

 or wood ashes should be allowed near huckleberry plants. 



Varieties 



While named varieties are not yet available, the 

 work done at the United States Department of Agricul- 

 ture has shown much progress in the development of 

 improved sorts. Wild plants vary greatly in the size 

 and character of fruit. Two distinct types of the swamp 

 blueberry are common in Rhode Island. 



