DIRECTIOXS FOE BLUEBERRY CULTURE. 7 



until thoroughly chilled. Just before the journey is to begin the 

 chilled budwood and packing material is placed in the bottle and the 

 bottle closed. Immediately on arrival at its destination the bottle 

 should be opened and the contents kept chilled in an ice box until 

 used. By this method blueberry budwood has been kept in perfect 

 condition for more than a week, and probably that period can be 

 much prolonged. 



The best wood on which to bud is the lower portion of vigorous 

 basal shoots of the season, especially those from plants that were 

 cut to the stump in the preceding winter or early spring. On such 

 shoots the bark can be lifted with ease much later in the season than 

 on older stems. In taking the bud from the stick of budwood the 

 cut is made just deep enough to leave a thin layer of wood attached 

 to the middle of the bud slice. The raffia should be tied rather 

 tightly, so that the juice almost begins to be squeezed from the soft 

 bark. Special care should be taken that the raffia wrapping does 

 not become wet and fermentation ensue between the raw surfaces of 

 bud and stock. Plants budded in a greenhouse should therefore be 

 watered on the surface of the ground, not on the foliage. In the 

 case of outdoor plants liable to be wet by the rain the bud wrappings 

 can be effectually protected by the use of a piece of strong paraffined 

 paper about 6 inches square made into a little cone about the stem 

 just above the bud wrappings and securely tied there with raffia, the 

 lower part of the cone hanging down around the stem like a little 

 skirt, keeping the rain away from the bud and its wrappings. 

 (PI. III.) 



Union of the bud with the stock should take place in two to three 

 weeks. As soon as the budded stem has increased in diameter suffi- 

 ciently to cause pronounced choking by the raffia, all the wrappings 

 should be removed. Otherwise the choked stem may be broken off 

 by the wind. If choking does not occur the wrapping may be 

 allowed to remain until spring. 



Before growtii begins in the following spring the stem is cut off 

 above the inserted bud, which is still dormant. Only the inserted 

 bud should be allowed to grow, all other growth from the stock be- 

 ing promptly rubbed off as soon as it starts. (PI. IV.) Under this 

 treatment the shoot from the inserted bud is very succulent and 

 heavy, and a wind easily breaks it from the stock, but slice and all. 

 To prevent this, the growing shoot, beginning at a length of 6 to 8 

 inches, should be tied at intervals to a strong stake. 



In greenhouse experiments a growth of more than 8 feet has been 

 obtained in the first season from an inserted bud on a vigorous 

 plant, and when the shoot has been made to branch repeatedly by 

 removing the growing tips (PI. V) as many as 70 cuttings have 



