1 68 MAINE AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. 



period and since the timber was removed from the remainder, 

 it too, has been repeatedly burned to keep down the growth of 

 birches, alder;, etc. and to facilitate the harvesting of the fruit. 



About 40,000 acres of the blueberrv^ barrens belong to Mr. 

 William Freeman of Cherr\-field, to whom, and to his son, Mr. 

 George G. Freeman, the writer is under obligation for many 

 courtesies during his visits to the plains. ]Mr. Freeman's 

 method of handling his blueberr}- lands may be taken as an 

 example of what may be done in developing the industrv' in 

 other sections. The plan is somewhat as follows : 



The land is divided into several parts, each of which is leased 

 to some responsible part}* who assumes the whole care of burn- 

 ing over the land, keeping off trespassers, han-esting and mar- 

 keting the fruit. ^Ir. Freeman receives, as rental, one-half 

 cent per quart for all the fruit gathered. 



The pickers receive one and a half to three cents per quart; 

 those vvho lease the land and haul the fruit to the canning fac- 

 tory, or to the station for shipment, one-half to one cent per 

 quart. The fruit is all canned or shipped by J. & E. A. AA"ym,an, 

 who keep a record of the amount as it is brought in and pay 

 the royalt}^ to !Mr. Freeman, retaining for themselves whatever 

 profit there ma}^ be on the canned fruit. 



Ever}- year a certain section of each "lease" is burned over. 

 This burning must be done verv' early in the spring, before the 

 ground becomes dn,-; othen;\-i5e the fire goes too deep, the 

 humus is burned from the ground and most of the bushes are 

 killed. Many hundred acres on what should be the best part of 

 the "barrens" have thus been ruined. The method most com- 

 monly used in burning a given area, is for the operator to pass 

 around the section to be burned, dragging after him an ordinary 

 torch or a mill-lamp. He then retraces his steps and follows 

 over the burned area setting new fires in the portions which 

 have escaped, and back-firing if there is danger of spreading 

 unduly over areas which it is desired to leave unbumed. A 

 device which was found in use by one part)' consists of a piece 

 of 34-inch gas-pipe bent at the end at =^r. ar.r'e :i about 60 

 degrees. The end opposite the bent pcr:::r- 15 ilcsed with a 

 cap or a plug, and in the other end, after filling the pipe with 

 kerosene, is placed a plug of cotton vvaste or tow. This device 



