Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1905-03-03
BURBERRY CULTURE
How the Maine Gamers Have
Built Up a Novel Industry.-
Its Relation to Forest Fires.

Built Up a Novel Industry
Its Relation to Forest Fires.
In grazing sections throughout tn,
west an ola and we'll known custom i
that of burning the dry grass 10 i'm
prove the next years pasture
Formerly the fires were allowed tt
spread and burn the mSelves out a,
will, and the practice resulted in great
forest destruction. Happily for the
forests, the burning is now more
carefully done when it is done at all
and on the whole the custom is fallina
into disuSe. In Maine practice ol
burning exists which is local to tina,
state, is novel in character, and has
nothing to do with grazing. The
burning is to assist blueberry culture
by causing the bushes to sprout
vigorously and clearing the ground OF
other growth.
About 1870 factory for canning
blueberries was located in Name, and
as it prospered it was followed by
others In 1885, and again in 1893
similar factories and canning COM
panieS were established, until today
blueberry raising and canning is an
Important industry in that state.
To supply the increasing demand
blueberry bush areas have been con-
stantly enlarged, until now ''blueberry
barrens' cover some 1900 acres in
Hancock and Washington counties.
A century ago these 'blueberry bar
rens" were, for the most part,
covered by dense forest. chiefly OF
white pine and spruce. The forest
was thinned by numbering the pine,
and the increased amount of light
permitted new kinds of underground
to get foothold. Fire, as almost
invariably happens, followed the
numbering. The rest of the original
stand was destroyed, and the under
growth Was still further altered, "a
great variety of valueless underbrush
and weeds taking possession of the
together with stand of
birch, pOpple, red maple, and other
hardwood seedlings. AS the fires
TO occur this hardwood
growth became Scrubby and was finally
entirely eliminated, and the ground
became true barren, covered with a
growth of blueherry bushes, sweet
fern, brake, bunchberry, goldenrod,
and sheep laurel. With the ground
in such condition it's best use is for
culture.
The blueberry owner divides his
land into three portions; each year he
picks the berries from one portion
burns another portion, and allows the
third to rest. The first year after the
land is burned over the blueberry
bushes sprout and grow few inches.
The second year they yield a full crop
of berries. The third season the crop
is small and of little value, and the
bushes reach condition in which
they can be burned most effectively.
Under this system of blueberry
culture the land does not ''run out"
with constant use for the same .crop.
Where the burning has been properly
done. the same tracts have grown
continuously for fifty years
without showing any decrease in the
yield. But if the land is burned over
at the wrong time of the year, or the
roots OF the bushes are badly injured
by fire, many years are required to
restore the productive capacity of the
tract. The best time for burning is
when the melting snow leaves the
ground wet and the tops of the bushes
dry. After May 10, burning is very
injurious, unless the spring is excep-
tionally late.
The canning companies own most of
the blueberry lands in Maine, except
some small twenty-five or fifty acre
private holdings. Pickers from COM
pany lands get three cents a quart,
while private owners receive about six
to eight cents quart for their herries.
The picking season lasts six weeks.
A rapid picker makes from 81 to SO a
day; if he has large family to help
him it is not unusual for him to make
5000 or $500 in the six weeks. This
makes the industry very popular
among the pickerS, and increases the
danger that forest fires will be set or
permitted 10 burn through good
timber in order tc increase the extent
of BURBERRY barrens.
In addition to the 2,60O acres of
present barrens, there are in Hancock
county over 5000 acres which have
been reduced almost to barren
condition. Here, if necessary, this
Industry could be protitably extended.
But when numbering and fires have
not materially depleted the forests,
the land should be continued under
forest cover and the and improved.
The opportunity is ample for proper
extension Of blueberry culture with.
out invading valuable forest lands,
which should be protected from fire.
The wiSeSt policy is to utilize the
present blueberry barren areas tn the