226 
THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN 
they are beginning to receive attention in a horticultural 
way. 
The Weekly News Letters from the U. S. D. of A. has 
the following note showing interest is awakening on ac¬ 
count of Ihe possibilities in connection with improving 
the fruit. 
Blueberries on “Worthless” Land 
Luscious blueberries—many of which are three- 
fourths of an inch in diameter—that sell for $10 a 
bushel! Such is the product secured by a New Jersey 
grower, whose principal business has been growing 
cranberries but who more recently has taken up the cul¬ 
tivation of blueberries. At present he has 20 acres 
which he has planted, in part, with carefully selected 
wild blueberry stock and, in part, with hybrids furnished 
hy the Bureau of Plant Industry of the United State De¬ 
partment of Agriculture. Not only are the berries on this 
tract of very high quality but the yield is prolific, the 
older plants producing at the rate of nearly 100 bushels 
to the acre. The plantation is situated at Whitesbog, near 
Browns Mills. 
The success of this grower is but one instance of what 
is being done commercially by men who are utilizing the 
information supplied hy the Department of Agriculture 
scientists. The latter have made a study of blueberry 
culture for several years and are able to furnish data 
regarding the best varieties and the most suitable soils. 
Of particular significance is the fact that blueberries 
thrive best on peat and sand soils, so acid as to be consid¬ 
ered worthless for ordinary agriculture. Thus through 
blueberry culture it is possible to utilize many tracts 
which have been regarded as especially hard and un¬ 
promising. 
ILLINOIS NURSERYMEN S ASSOCIATION 
Urbana, Illinois, August 4-5 
Ihe summer meeting of the Illinois Nurserymen’s As¬ 
sociation was held at Urbana at the University of Il¬ 
linois, August 4 and 6. 
The following firms were represented: 
Beaudry Nursery Company, Chicago, Ill. 
Klehm’s Nursery, Arlington Heights, Ill. 
D. Ilill Nursery Company, Dundee, Illinois. 
Onarga Nursery Company, Onarga, III. 
Arthur Bryant & Son, Princeton, Ill. 
Aurora Nursery Company, Aurora, III. 
Swain Nelson & Sons Company, Chicago, Ill. 
Palmgren’s Nursery, Glenview, III. 
Naperville Nursery, Naperville, Ill. 
Little! oid’s Nursery, Downers Grove, Ill. 
Golf Nurseries, Glenview, III. 
Augustine & Company, Normal, Ill. 
C. W. Marsen & Son, Chicago, Ill. 
McKay Nursery, Madison, Wis. 
Eugene de St. Aubin & Brother, Oak Park, Ill. 
Jerseyville Nursery, Jerseyville, Ill. 
L. Graves & Son, Farina, Ill. 
Charles S. Wolke & Son, Neoga, Ill. 
F. D. Clavey & Son, Highland Park, Ill. 
James King Nursery, Wheaton, Ill. 
Glen Ellyn Nursery, Wheaton, Ill. 
Pfund Nursery, Elmhurst, Ill. 
Jacksonville Nursery, Jacksonville, Ill. 
Herman F. Johnson & Son, Normal, III. 
Victor Kryda, Chicago, Ill. 
Lyon & Anderson, Belvidere, Ill. 
George Wittboldt Company, Chicago, Ill. 
From some of these firms there were three and four 
present. In fact, it seemed that Nurserymen, generally, 
took a day off and had a good time. 
The meeting started promptly at 7.30 p. m. August 4th. 
All papers read by the Professors were most instructive 
and interesting. All Nurserymen present are of the 
opinion that much valuable help can be secured at the 
University, and only for the asking. 
It was necessary to hear Professor Blair on Wednes¬ 
day evening so that all might be prepared for the tour 
of the University Campus, greenhouse, garden, flower 
garden, orchard and farm on Thursday. 
Dr. Blair told us about the Nurserymen’s school 
which is being established at the University. He ex¬ 
plained that much of the course is already established 
and that it will require but the small outlay of $15,000 
dollars per annum to put the course into existence. To 
properly conduct the experiments and practical side of 
the course will require some land and some buildings, an 
estimated cost of $50,000, and each Nursery firm present, 
and there were thirty of them representing hundreds of 
thousands of dollars of invested capital, agreed indiv¬ 
idually and collectively to bring every influence to bear 
to secure the $65,000 needed to place an available course 
in the great University of Illinois. Prof. Blair called 
upon Prof. Dorner of the school of Floriculture, Prof. 
Ruth of the Research department, and others represent¬ 
ing the various activities of the great school of Horticul¬ 
ture over which Dr. Blair presides. Their papers and 
talks were worth a trip to hear. 
Dr. Blair then presented Prof. Crandall who has de¬ 
voted his life to conducting experiments in breeding 
better fruit. The nurserymen were wonderfully im¬ 
pressed with the value of Dr. Crandall’s work to the bet¬ 
terment of the fruit industry. It was apparent that the 
men in attendance were surprised that so great a work 
was being conducted and that the> knew so little about 
it. 
The real treat of the meeting was on Thursday morn¬ 
ing when automobiles drew up at the Beardsley and the 
nurserymen were personally conducted through the 
University Campus and to the plantations of the various 
activities of the school of Horticulture. 
Prof. Dorner’s Department, where we saw the flowers 
and plants growing under the skilled hands of his corps 
of competent instructors *and where we learned that or¬ 
chids are successfully produced from seed, was inter¬ 
esting and instructive. 
The cherry orchards, the vineyards, the chicken farm, 
and the vegetable gardens were viewed with surprise at 
the wonderful extension of the experiments being con¬ 
ducted for the benefit of the fruit grower, the vegetable 
gardener, and the general public, as well as the nursery¬ 
man and Ihe florist. The small fruit division and the 
farm were equally well enjoyed and were highly instruc¬ 
tive. 
The real study and the promising value to nursery¬ 
men was found in Prof. Crandall’s work. Ilis is the 
work of a patient, hard-working martyr who is perform- 
