Blueberries : questions and answers / Houston Orchards.

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BLUEBERRIES

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HOUSTON ORCHARDS

HANOVER, MASSACHUSETTS

V DELICIOUS FLAVOR

Cultivated Blueberries

Recently when exhibiting our blueberries at
one of the large New England fairs we noticed
that the interest shown in this new addition
to our small fruits was most marked; that a
great number of people wanted much more in¬
formation on the subject than has been given
by short radio talks, or in the one or two small
leaflets that have been sent out by out-of-state
growers. Always the same questions were asked
by those seeking for light upon this most in¬
teresting subject. We wrote down those ques¬
tions, and in this little booklet we will make
the replies cover very thoroughly the subject
of blueberry culture as it applies to the ordi¬
nary grower of a limited number of plants, or
to the commercial grower who wishes to plant
on a larger scale. The principles are the same
in both cases.

Question 1. What are cultivated blueberries ?
Are they wild blueberry bushes that were taken
from the woods or swamps , brought into the
garden, fertilized and cultivated ?

Ans. Cultivated blueberries are a develop¬
ment from the original wild stock. The work
of improving the wild blueberry has been
going on for the past 2 5 years. Carried on, as
it has been, by leading Horticultural experts

1

V BEAUTIFUL PLANTS *

in the experimental grounds of the United
State Department of Agriculture, the Culti¬
vated Blueberry may well lay claim to the dis¬
tinction of governmental approval.

As the methods used in the improvement of
fruits and flowers are the secret of those who
make it their life work, we cannot give more
than a hint to those who would like to know
how the work is done.

Planting seed from the finest fruit; cross
pollination; selection of choice seedlings; hy¬
bridization. This is what we heard as we "lis¬
tened in.” The word "patience” was used very
often. The result is a decided achievement.

Question 2. Are the plants offered for sale
the same as those raised at the experimental
stations ?

Ans. Yes, all plants that are offered for
sale by reputable growers or nurseries are
propagated from the varieties released by the
original experimenters, in such a manner that
they are positively true to name.

Question 3 . Can they be grown from seed ?

Ans. No. They are not propagated in that
manner. We cannot recall any fruit that is
grown from seed, with the exception of wild
fruit.

2

CLEAN FRUIT

Question 4 . How high do they grow ?

Ans. Blueberry plants will attain a height
of 6 to 7 feet or over, but will give best results
if held down to a height of 6 feet.

However, in some sections plants have been
known to grow to a height of 14 feet.

Question 5. Are they shapely? Is there much
pruning to do?

Ans. Indeed yes. Blueberry plants are in
themselves very shapely, and when given
proper care and trimming they make a very
ornamental shrub. The amount of pruning will
depend upon the variety. Both the Cabot and
the Pioneer are inclined to overbear, and the
timely removal of all undeveloped or weak
branches will prove most beneficial to the
plant.

Question 6 . Do blueberry plants require
spraying?

Ans. So far, during the fifteen years that
we have grown these plants for their fruit,
we have not sprayed them. The blueberry is
the cleanest fruit that we have any knowledge
of.

3

HEAVY BEARERS

Question 7. How much fruit tuill they bear ?

Ans. A well developed blueberry bush
should bear about 6 quarts of choice fruit,
under favorable conditions. In very dry weather
the yield will be somewhat less; in favorable
years it has been higher on mature bushes. A
good yield per acre is something like 3200
quarts, more in wet seasons, less in dry.

Question 8. What kind of soil is best for
blueberries ?

Ans. Blueberries like moist soil that is
naturally acid and free from rock; neither too
sandy nor too heavy with clay. The soil must
be loose, not crusty. If it is too heavy, sand
will improve it. If lacking in humus, peat moss,
or rotted leaf mold will give it body. Any
soil that will grow strawberries or a crop of
garden vegetables will be exactly right for blue¬
berries.

Question 9. Hotv far apart should they be
planted ?

Ans. Plant blueberries in rows 8 ft. apart
for field planting, with plants 4 ft. apart in
the rows. Where only a few plants are to be
considered, plant any place in the home grounds
where you can find room for them. For Clumps

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EASY TO GROW

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on the lawn plant 4 ft. apart. Keep the same
distance between them in shrub borders. For
hedges or divisions inside your grounds they
may be planted 3 ft. apart.

Question 10, When is the best time to plant?

Ans. Spring is the best time to plant al¬
most anything. If fall is more convenient, use
that time to plant this most hardy and robust
fruit. For fall planting be sure to bring the
earth well up around the plant. This will pro¬
tect the root system and prevent it from heav¬
ing during the winter.

Question 11 , What kind of fertilizer gives
the best results ?

Ans. Up to this time good results have
been obtained by the formula given on page Hb*
of this booklet. Apply only a generous pinch
around the plant in the spring. Keep it away
from the plant to prevent burning. This is all
the fertilizer necessary to keep the soil in
good condition. A mulch of oak leaves or peat
moss is excellent if you have only a few plants.

Question 12, How about the flavor , are they
as good as the wild berry?

Ans. A great many people consider this

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A HARDY PLANT

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new fruit far superior in flavor to the wild
berry. Our several varieties all yield large ber¬
ries, and our pickers cannot decide which of
them is the best in flavor. All are firm, very
blue, meaty, and have been known to keep
without sweating or withering for at least
three weeks. This fact should be of interest to
commercial growers, as the berries can be
shipped great distances without deterioration.

Question 13. Are they a hardy plant?

Ans. Yes. Blueberries are extremely hardy.
In our own fields they have withstood a tem¬
perature of 30 degrees below zero, without
being in any way damaged. Not a single plant
perished during the cold winter of 1933-1934.

Question 14. How long do they live ?

Ans. Blueberry plants are long lived, and
barring accidents, will probably outlive us all.
One man tells of a bush that he has been
picking for over forty years, and it is still a
heavy bearer.

»' %» y>

When less was known about this most in¬
teresting plant, much doubt was cast upon its
possibilities. It was thought that only bogs,

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LONG LIFE

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waste lands, and swamps were suitable for its
growth. Hence, the ordinary interested grower
was discouraged, and did not plant when he
could, and should, have done so. Now we
know that blueberries will thrive almost any¬
where in our home grounds if treated like
other shrubs and bushes, or fruit trees.

A Beautiful Plant

PLANT THEM AND GIVE THEM A
CHANCE. In a few years they will be the
queens of your home garden.

Grow them for their beauty; grow them
for their wonderful crops vof fine fruit. Do
not consider the first cost. They are a self-
supporting shrub; the only one that pays its
way year after year with a minimum of at¬
tention.

So beautiful are these new shrubs all through
the year that one wonders how any other show
bush can be compared with them. In the spring
they are a veritable drift of creamy bloom,
which is followed in midsummer by clusters
and spikes of great berries of the bluest blue,
unmatched for their luscious flavor. Then with
the approach of the first frosts, their leaves
take on handsome colors of rich carmine reds
and coppery golds that last long after all other
shrubs have been denuded of their foliage.

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V NEW GARDEN ARISTOCRATS v

Finally, when the garden lies half buried
in snow, a clump of blueberry bushes with their
pretty red and gold twigs will present a most
intriguing patch of misty color just when
it is most needed.

Landscape architects will tell you that blue¬
berries have always been more or less useful in
landscape work. When they see the new Culti¬
vated Blueberries at fruiting time, and sense
their advantages and possibilities their enthusi¬
asm knows no bounds.

Of exceptional interest to them is one va¬
riety that shapes itself like a dome. Loaded
with fruit its beauty is a revelation. In time
this shrub will attain a height of 6 feet, with a
dense top. Another variety grows to a height of
approximately 7 feet. This one if trimmed back
to a height of 6 feet will thicken to a diameter
of about 6 feet, and the trimming will en¬
courage a heavier inner crop of fruit, that
makes it most valuable as a garden ornament.
This is the only variety that grows its fruit on
the fine inside twigs. Consult us when your
plantings are to be for landscape purposes; we
wish to recommend the best varieties for your
needs.

To sum up — Cultivated Blueberries are the
long awaited answer to the demand for better,
bigger, finer blueberries, that can be picked
under modern sanitary conditions.

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V A LANDSCAPE PLANT v

They are the gift supreme of the horticul¬
tural scientist to our gardens. Let us accept the
gift and enjoy it.

Description of Varieties

CABOT: Grows to a height of 4l/z ft.; dense
flat top, very ornamental. Berries delicious,
very sweet, clear blue color. Early bearer.

PIONEER: Grows to 5 feet; loose branches
like a lilac; large slightly flattened berries
in elongated clusters; a good cropper, deli¬
cious, and good blue color. Comes into
bearing after Cabot.

RUBEL: Late bearer, will attain a height of 7
feet if allowed its own way; should be kept
to 6 feet to facilitate picking; bears large
quantities of very fine slightly acid berries;
the best commercial variety so far devel¬
oped.

CONCORD: JERSEY: Growing habit very
much like Pioneer; berries largest of any
so far developed, but neither have been
found to be heavy bearers. We have a lim¬
ited number on hand and will include one
of either kind in home garden lots if they
are specified; otherwise our selection will
be of our three leading varieties, Rubel,
Pioneer and Cabot.

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SIZABLE BERRIES

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Remarks on Planting

Plant in any sunny spot. Plant in rows or
in clumps on the lawn. A hedge of blueberries
would be an engaging sight.

In the border they would be very fine, or as
shrubs about the house.

Caution: While it is true that hardy plants
may be planted in any part of the country and
thrive, the same cannot be said of plants that
are transplanted from the more southerly states
into our colder climate. We recommend our
hardy New England grown plants for our own
section of the country to avoid disappointment
and loss.

Cultivation : Blueberry roots are distributed
just under the surface of the soil. For this rea¬
son cultivation should be very shallow, not over
two inches deep, so as to leave roots undis¬
turbed.

Keep witch grass and other weeds away from
your plants. Witch grass harbors white grubs
that feed on berry roots, and weeds will absorb
the moisture needed by your plants.

Do not use lime on soil intended for blue¬
berries, lime will sweeten the soil and make it
unfit for this purpose. Do not use barnyard
manure on your plants, any litter of this nature
causes fungus disease, and is best avoided.

Planting directions and pruning will accom-

10

A STURDY PLANT

pany every shipment of plants. There is nothing
at all difficult about the culture of Blueberries
provided the soil is suitable, and some attention
is given to them in the matter of pruning out
the weak branches, and keeping them clear of
weeds and brush.

They will not need pruning for the first few
years after planting. When we refer to pruning,
we refer to half grown or older bushes that are
apt to get dense and overbear, thus producing
an inferior size of fruit. Blueberries grow very
fast when once started. In our own fields and
nursery rows, the plants have a most sturdy and
thrifty appearance, some of the new shoots
attaining a height of 4 ft. in a season. These
shoots when ripened off in the fall of the year
are sometimes a full half inch in diameter. It is
from this nursery that all our orders are filled.

We have been complimented again and again
on the thrifty and clean condition of our plants,
and we guarantee satisfaction so far as any
guarantee can be given on the finest stock
grown anywhere.

In conclusion, we wish to point out that
these new improved blueberries are HARD
WOODED plants like Azaleas, and as difficult
to propagate. They will never be overdone be¬
cause they can never be cheaper than they are
now. Our prices are quoted for wide distribu¬
tion. We invite correspondence.

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•> A PROFITABLE PLANT v

Fertilizer Formula

Mix the following together for best results:

2 5 lbs. Nitrate of Soda

6 5 lbs. Ground Rock Phosphate, (or Super
Phosphate)

10 lbs. Sulphate of Potash
100 lbs.

Keep left over fertilizer in a tin container.
Mark it, and use it the next year.

Packing

All plants come to you Balled and Burlapped
with soil on their roots.

Plants are sold in sets of three, or 2 5 assorted
plants.

Terms: 25% with order. Balance on delivery
at our nursery. All plants shipped F. O. B.
Hanover, Mass.

WHOLESALE: Nurserymen who wish
plants for their customers, or commercial
growers, please write us for particulars.

HOUSTON ORCHARDS

Blueberry Nursery
HANOVER, MASS.

12

ERE THEY ARE • • •

Those Great Big Delicious Blueberries

That Gardeners Are Talking So Much About

FINE. HEALTHY FIELD GROWN PLANTS

BEST VARIETIES:

RUBEL PIONEER CABOT

We recommend either fall or spring planting. Blue¬
berry plants do -well either way when some protection
is given when planted late in the season. For fall
planting do not remove canvas covering, and treat
like tender roses, by mulching with pine needles or
other light litter to the depth of several inches.

CAUTION: Do NOT use barnyard litter of any
kind. Plant same as you would any other shrub; use
only good brown loam to fill in around the ball of
roots; water copiously from time to time; they will
reward you for the care you give them.

On all orders of 25 plants or over, please write us
a few days in advance, as all our plants are dug up
to order in the case of large quantities.

Add 10c to your check or money order for a year’s
Supply of fertilizer on orders of 10 plants or under,
this will save you the bother of getting it the first year.

PLEASE NOTE:

Blueberry Plants are always sold (in sets of three)
for purposes of cross polination.

Come for your plants if possible, as blueberries are
hard to pack, and we cannot afford at these wholesale

at GROWERS7 PRICES

prices to handle orders of less than $3.50 if they are
to be packed and expressed.

The plants on this list will vary between 12" to 18"
tall, and root systems weigh approximately 2’/2 and
5 lbs. when balled and burlapped. We send out only-
fine thrifty stock, sure to grow.

For this year we are offering home garden lots of

choice well assorted plants, as follows:

10 — 2 yr. old bushes, 10-12", wgt. 2 lbs . $5.50

6 — 2 yr. old bushes, same as above 3.50

10 — 3 yr. old bushes, 18" tall, wgt. 5 lbs. . 8.50

6 — 3 yr. old bushes, same as above . 5.00

3 — 3 vr. old (larger set ) . 3.50

3 — 4 yr. old budded bushes — just coming into

bearing . $5.00

Quantity Prices

2 yr. old bushes . $50.00 for 100

3 yr. old bushes . 80.00 for 100

All Prices are F. O. B. Hanover, Mass.

Let Us Hear From You

HOUSTON ORCHARDS

Blueberry Nurseries

HANOVER. MASSACHUSETTS