| Very few historical records exist on
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| | blueberry plant occurrence, it is easy to
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| ancient blueberry culture in the Greek
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| | predict the soil requirements necessary
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| and Roman empires. Those cultures did use
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| | to successfully grow blueberries. The
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| parts of the blueberry plants and fruit
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| | blueberry plants are found in the wild,
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| to eat or to treat ailments. The size and
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| | growing on very poor, sandy soil with
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| flavor of native blueberry plants was
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| | roots that surround the underground
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| extremely variable, and the USDA, modern,
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| | layers of decayed organic matter. The
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| extensive research and development of
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| | acidity or pH level is very low for wild
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| choice selections was judged on a basis
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| | blueberry plants and the bushes prosper
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| of taste, yield of plants, aroma, small
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| | in this acid environment. Fertilizer
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| berry seeds, and the lasting quality of
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| | kills more blueberry plants than any
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| the fresh berries increased the
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| | other single thing. Blueberry commercial
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| popularity of this fruit in a period of
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| | production is highest in Michigan,
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| fifty years as one of America's favorite
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| | followed by Maine, New Jersey, Oregon,
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| agricultural products.William Bartram,
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| | and Georgia. It is truly amazing that the
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| the early American botanist and explorer,
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| | blueberry can be grown in the South into
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| reported seeing various members of the
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| | Florida and then northwards to Arctic
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| native blueberry plant relatives,
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| | North America. Most blueberries are cross
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| Vaccinium varietas, as he and his father,
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| | pollinated by insects such as bees and
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| John Bartram took an inventory of plants
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| | bumblebees. Most gardeners plant at least
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| to establish on Georgia farms in his
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| | two different cultivars of blueberry
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| book, Travels, in 1773.Luther Burbank was
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| | plants for the additional advantages of
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| perhaps America's most prolific
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| | extending the ripening season. Gardeners
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| hybridizer of fruits, and he imported
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| | love planting a berry with no thorns to
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| many native species of blueberries,
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| | prick fingers at picking time, the
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| Vaccinium Spp., from other countries and
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| | occurrence of tiny seeds that aid in
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| reported in his book, Small Fruits in
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| | digestion, and the enjoyment of seeing
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| 1921, that very little improvement had
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| | the kaleidoscope of rainbow colors during
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| been made to produce a commercially,
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| | the winter after the first freeze.
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| improved blueberry bush. In recent years
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| | Blueberry plants are among the most cold
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| the USDA has released excellent yielding
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| | tolerant of all the small fruits, and in
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| blueberries that, when fully ripened, are
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| | the South, the plants often only lose the
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| sweetly flavored, aromatically pleasing,
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| | leaves for a month, often blooming as
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| and easy to harvest. Some cultivars of
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| | early as January. Even if the flowers of
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| blueberry plants can be machine
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| | blueberries freeze, a second wave of
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| harvested. Fresh blueberries are
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| | flowering will follow during later
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| available in United States markets,
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| | warm-ups in the weather.Basically three
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| beginning in April and extending until
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| | types of blueberry are grown commercially
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| October.Recent reports from health
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| | in the United States; the Northern
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| researchers have shown that blueberry
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| | Highbush blueberry, Vaccinium corymbosum
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| fruit is higher in antioxidants than any
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| | L.; the Southern Rabbiteye blueberry,
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| other fruit or vegetable. These
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| | Vaccinium ashei; and the Lowbush
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| antioxidants block the presence of
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| | blueberry, also called the Wild Lowbush
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| chemically charged particles called,
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| | blueberry, Vaccinium angustifolium.The
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| "free radicals," that are believed to be
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| | Northern Highbush blueberry, Vaccinium
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| the threat that initiates disease
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| | corymbosum L., is grown in zones 4 to 7.
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| problems. The antioxidants are believed
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| | Much of the early production appearing at
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| to be important in preventing cancer,
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| | blueberry markets came from native
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| stroke, heart disease, and loss of memory
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| | blueberry plants, but new cultivars of
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| resulting from Alzheimer's disease.
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| | Northern Highbush blueberry plants are
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| Chemically active anthocyanin pigments
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| | very promising, such as: Bluejay
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| found in blueberries can improve failing
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| | blueberry, Bluecrop blueberry, Blueray
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| eyesight and can prevent macular
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| | blueberry, Jersey blueberry, and Patriot
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| disintegration resulting from
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| | blueberry.USDA blueberry releases for
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| aging.According to the New England
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| | Southern Rabbiteye blueberry, Vaccinium
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| Journal of Medicine, blueberries fight
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| | ashei, have been numerous. These include
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| urinary tract infections and help to
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| | the older cultivars: Southland, Woodard,
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| prevent eye macular degeneration, says
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| | Bluebelle, Blue Gem, and more recent
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| Dr. Ronald Prior, director of the USDA.
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| | blueberry releases are Tiftblue, Climax,
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| Early Indian culture in America taught
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| | Delite, Brightblue, Brightwell, Bonita,
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| that eating blueberries was good for
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| | Powderblue, and Austin blueberry.The
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| coughs, and the blueberry bush leaves
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| | Lowbush or Wild Blueberry, Vaccinium
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| were used as a tea and health tonic. The
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| | angustifolium, is the most cold hardy
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| North American Blueberry Council says
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| | type of blueberry, and commercially the
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| that blueberry juice has higher
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| | plants are dwarf and only grow 1 to 2
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| concentrations of antioxidants than any
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| | feet tall. Most are not improved
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| of the 40 juices tested. Other health
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| | varieties, but variable native bushes.
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| benefits from blueberries are Vitamin A,
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| | One modern Lowbush blueberry release is
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| Vitamin B1, Vitamin B2, Vitamin C,
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| | "Top Hat" blueberry, and the state of
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| Niacin, and the minerals calcium,
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| | Maine accounts for the largest production
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| phosphorus, potassium, and
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| | of Lowbush blueberry bushes adaptable in
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| iron.Blueberries are loved by animals,
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| | zones 3 to 6.In Florida and other various
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| birds, and many types of wildlife, such
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| | hot sections of the United States, many
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| as deer, duck, and even bears. The
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| | of these blueberry species have been
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| berries provide wildlife a source of food
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| | interhybridized and complexly mixed to
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| over a very long period of feeding, when
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| | produce a wide array of plants adapted
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| food is scarce at off season periods.
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| | for hot climates. These cultivars are
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| Birds sometimes can be a pest to the
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| | Beckyblue blueberry, Aliceblue blueberry,
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| backyard blueberry gardener, but the
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| | Sharpblue blueberry, Floridablue
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| bird's appetite can be overcome by either
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| | blueberry, Avonblue blueberry, Blue Ridge
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| the use of a screen netting to protect
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| | blueberry, Cape Fear blueberry, Gulf
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| and cover the blueberry bushes, or a
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| | Coast blueberry, O'Neal blueberry, and
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| gardener can plant enough blueberry
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| | Georgia Gem blueberry. These blueberry
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| bushes for his own growing needs and the
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| | plants are best grown in zones 7 to
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| birds as well.Blueberries are expected to
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| | 10.Blueberries have many valuable gourmet
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| rapidly become the most sought-after
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| | food uses as in blueberry pancakes,
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| small fruit on the American market. Fifty
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| | blueberry pies, blueberry jam, blueberry
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| percent of blueberries are grown for the
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| | juice, frozen and canned blueberries, and
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| fresh fruit market and Canada grows 25%
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| | drying under vacuum, the blueberries can
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| of the world demand for blueberries.
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| | last for years to be rehydrated to eat in
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| Growing blueberry plants is easy, but the
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| | cereals and other things. These dried
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| culture differs considerably from growing
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| | blueberries are especially promising for
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| other fruits and berries.If a blueberry
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| | use in Army K ration canning in foreign
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| gardener understands the origin of wild
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| | countries.
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