The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-01-24

PLANTATION or THRFT-TEAR-oLD BLUE
BERRY HYBRIDs.
latter. not the large seeded hucklcber-
ry. which offers possibilities for prof
liable culture
At the present stage of the BURBERRY
industry il is best 10 begin by trans
planting the most promising wild bush
es. selecting them for the size, flavor,
color and earliness Of the berry MS well
as for the vigor and productivencss of
the bush. These plants can be propa-
gated IN various ways which are de
scribed I'm detail In a professional pa
per of the Omitted States department Of
agriculture, bulletin No 334 by Fred
erick Y. Covflle The aim of the cul-
tiyator should he 10 secure bushes
which viii produce large berries. These
cost less to pick than small ones and
bring Il higher price on the market.
The three fundamental requirements
for successful blueberry culture are:
First, All acid soil, especially one com
posed Of peat and sand; second, good
drainage and thorough acration of the
surface soil and, third, permanent but
moderate soil moisture. Next in i'm
portance TO these essentials is loca-
ton such that the berries may reach
the market without delay. The best
prices are obtained about the begin
ming of tie wild blueberry season. The
main crop Of wild blueberries comes
from northern New England, Canada
and northern Michigan. A location TO
the south Of these areas where the Der
ries win mature earlier is, therefore, 10
be desired for the commercial cultiva-
tor. one of the most promising dis.
tricts now known is the cranberry re
giou Of New Jersey, where berries ma
ture early and the shipping facilities
to the market in Philadelphia, New
York and Boston are good
Another important factor TO be con
sidercd in selecting a location for a
blueberry patch is the possibility Of
late spring freezes. For this reason
the bottoms If valleys should be avoid
ed Freezing seldom Injuries the blue
berry plant itself but the fruit crop is
often destroyed n this way. From
past observations II appears that wild
Mupho.rles growing N or around bodies
Of water frequently escape the injuri-
Gus effects Of late spring freezes, and
1t seems. therefore, that flooding
equipment for burberry plantations
similar to those used for cranberry
bogs may. under certain circumstances,
prove commercially advantageous.
At the present time, however only
q beginning has been made in blue
berry culture The yield and profits
IA field plantations from improved
bushes have rot as yet been ascer-
tanned There e. however one small
plantation IN Indiana where complete
records have been maintained for the
past six years This plantation was
started IN 1850 In n natural blueherry
hog when was first drained and then
SGT with wild burberry bushes trans
planted without selection for indivii-
Ual UrnductivencsS or size Of berries
On his plantation the Yield per acre
has averaged i.14l quarts for the past
six yeas This average would have
been somewhat higher except for the
almost total failure OF the crop IN
1910, due n late spring freezes An
average Of if]a cents quart has been
received fer the berries, and the ret
! profit per acre IS estimated at size a
year In this estimate allowance has
been made FOR interest, taxes and de-
/ probation. Tho expense for wedding,
i cultivation and irrigation IS placed AT
so an acre and the cost " picking Of :
cents 2 quart