New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-12-26
THE CRANBERRY CUL TURE.

In my last letter to TIE TRIBUNE, point
ed out some of the difficulties which had be-
get The early cultivators of the Cranberry; ard
likewise siI ged out some If those obstacles
which would be likely to annoy those who intend
10 g. tempt their cultivation. propose In tbs to
throw out suggestion OF two, by which those i'm
pedimenis may in some measure be mitgated, il
not removed. / find that in the West there is
amorg intelligent farmers strong desire to at
tempt the cultivation Of tie cranberry; bat many
are at a loss to know how TO begin, snd on what
lads to make the first experiment, and whether
t is possible 10 natuI aize the vine to Il cir sOus
and locations.
Along the Massachusetts, coast the cranberry
vine -fouris5es, and the fruit produced bs it is
of the fi1est quality. l have heard experienced
growers Fay that the vine is a marine plant; that
it csnnot be cultivated to advantage On an inland
situation. But such an opinion seems to me to be
formed merely by the GAIA which is supplied 10
the vicinity of the ocean, aud not By observations
which extend 70 various parts OF the country. L
admit that the vines and berries found on Cape
C,d are not 30 likely to BE injured by the frost as
ttey are elsewhere, yet tbink it is very wrong
conclusion to base upon the aforementioned fact,
to say that the cranberry cannot be cultivated to
advantage in any other region. In the interior OF
this STATE the cranberry is cultivated, and when
the feasC is sufficiently long, though the berry Is
not so large and bish colOred, yet the growers
fiId IL to be profitable busIess to themselves.
In any State or part Of the country where the
niebtiro.ts are abst MT from the middle OF Juss--
which is the blOssomiDg season-tO the middle or
latter end of DC tober-when the berries are ripe
/ an Ct opinion that such climate is favorable to
the culivl ton Of the cranberry have received
vast nun Der of letters from gentlemen residing 10
sone OF the Western aid south western states, IN
which they state that the cranberry vine 10 found
on msrshy land and in moist situations on their
own faIms. They ak, can the vine be cultivated
to advantage by tbemi The answer is at hand
that in whatever region of country the vine is
'ound to be Indigenous, where the seas n is suf'
fcienty long, il can be cultivated and made profit
able to bin who attempts it Alright.
Suppose that those who are favored with some
of the Daiurol facilities have named desire to do
something with the vine, what course is il best
for them to pursue! 1t would be folly to exptnd
much money in clearing up swamp. The best
thing to he done is to study the nature of the soil
in which the vine is fourshiog, asd then to pre-
pare q small patch-say two or three rOds-and
plant tbe vines there, ard, bestowing some triHog
desree of care up1n them by way of wedding occa
siCr ally, you will rec by this experiment whether
it will do Tor you to proceed much further in their
cultivation In the absence of having an iotelli-
CERT nan to show Jon how to go to work, this is
your best plan, because If in measure you
fail, that very failure will most likely be the
MT ans Of suggesting to you the remedy aud that at
sm.ll expense. The great mistakes which some
make are made in state of excitement, antcipat-
ing, from planting waste lands with cranberry
viIes, that ID, are about TO realize two hundred
per cent. Ii will do very well for An experienc I'd
man to make large yards, aud with certainty OF
,Uccess; but 1t will I OF do for man who knows
notbiI about the cranberry and itz culture to go
rssbly 10 work. You will prevent fatuIe expense
ard gsllipg disappointment by making your fret
trial on rather email scale, as L have stated IL
above
Can the cranberry vine be naturalized to those
regions of country ia which it is not indigenOusf
1t certainly can. The Boyle cranberry is gon-
orally found to throw it's runners from the swamp
toward tie upland. The runner receives its moist
ure frC m the roots of the vine which rest in the
damp soil Now, if you will take these runners
and plant them in an upland soil where there is
some moisture in it and stir il frequently during
the hot months of Summer, it will live through
the apparent drouth. In two years hence take the
young vines and carefully plant them ann you will
find that you have done much toward n.furiizing
tie vine 10 even situation where there cannot be
any overlooking. Many persons have planted on
the upisDd with vines from the swsmp, and the
transition from abundant moisture to compare
lively dry situation hiss been too su iden, AID the
vines have consequently died. Those who try tho
upland should get the vines which have Deed nat
UIalized to DRY soil, or it will require immense
trouble and some years TO do anything 70 sdvaat-
age. 1t will be well for those who intend to try
the cvSI berry vine on a comparatively high and
DRY situation to remember that tho ffait produced
ia not 30 large nor yet ia the quantities. equal to
those which yielded in more favorable locations,
where there is either peat, beach sand, or foe
gravelly loan, and the ability to flow in Winter.
/ believe that the time will come when the co n
mercial value Of the cranberry will be better un-
deIstOod, and when farmers in all parts OF tho
country will feel it to be to their interest to cult
vate patch Of THE fruit, and when its require
mtDts will be better understood than at present,
aud when it will be source OF prohs 10 thIse who
think it worth their while TO raise the berry.
A short time since say swamp which was
formerly covered over with brakes, huckleberry-
bushes and briars. It was of no use to the owner.
He paid some attention to the subject Of or ,nberry
cultivation. He cleared the swamp, which he
found to have 3 Eaty bottom. 1t was planted
over with vines. The property, including clear
ing, vines and planting, cost him $500, but Yves