New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-10-17
CRANBERRY HARVEST on CAPE COD.

Correspondence Of The N. Y. Tribune.
CAPE Con, Friday, Oct. 10, 1855.
This is the busiest season of the year among the
cranberry growers on Cape Cod, who are now making
all possible haste to gather and get into market the
produce Of their respective yards before is Injured
by ..-iy fro-t
The soil of this part of Massachusetts is proverbiai
for its baepness, and since many of the land owners
regard it as beisg worn out by the abuses of their
predecessors they are content to let large portions lie
waste until part Of the lost virtue is recovered by
the lapse of time. The swamps, which are nunner-
GUS On Cape Cod, were an annoyance TO the early
settlers but of late years they have been made avail
able for the cultivation and growth of the cranberry
theyine of which is indigenous thereto. This fruit
has for many years realized a high price in the Bos
ton and other markets. Its value becoming known to
the citizens of the Cape those in particular who have
ourd small large swamps on their farms have la
bored hard to clear them of the dense underwood with
which they abounded, and have prepared them for
the reception of the vine. Those who did this eight
or ten years ago are now realizing from their yards
handsome incomes and the fact of the vine being SO
profitable has encouraged many others to buy the
hitherto useless patches of land which situated
the edges of the fresh water ponds and the majority
of house5oders on this part of Cape Cod have thus
become owLsrs Of yards OF greater or less dimen-
lions.
1t is admitted that the crop of crauberries on the
Cape is this year about half OF what 1t has been IN
former seasons much Of the fruit having been injured
by worm which has made its appearance in most Of
the yards, nevertheless, the prics paid for what the
growers can bring into market this Fall is such that
they will almost realize much for their scanty crops
as what they obtained when they had an average
yield.
Early in September, when the berry was green on the
vine, and had not attained its growth, Boston mer
chant TO the Cape and offered to the owners
of the yards ten dollars per barrel for all they had.
Some OF the holders believed that this the highest
amount that would be obtained for their fruit, and
therefore sold to him. But Others supposed that since
the crop wss short, higher price would yet be
offered and in three weeks afterward, another dealer
paid us visit and bought up all that he could al the
almost fabulous price Of twelve dollars per barrel.
And they have exceeded this sum- for at the last
sale mace here thirteen and half dollars were paid.
The ast.named price is some hing over four dollars
per bushe price believe they have not attained for
ms ny years before.
Those whose yards have been made within the last
three years have had the smallest crops because their
vines young and have not, to use the growers
pbrafe, "got properly matted in, time being required
TO accomplish this. But all have had some fruit, and
what they have sent to market have fetched one OF
the aboye-Damed figures.
In this town there are 40 gentlemen who eech xn
q large yard. The first one to whom | shall refer
claims 10 have the priority in rescung the vine from
s Wild CONDITION and making it subservient TO his
interests. He has swamp Of about four acres cleared
ara lnclOrtn. NO OF tnese are wen covered Win
vines which ave thoroughly matted" and third is
in process of making, and the fourth is being prepared
for the reception Of the viue Those which mat
"ted TO such extent as to have gained the upper
hand of the long wiry grass peculiar TO swamps have
borne well for the season. From the vines be has OBJ
tanned this year about sixty barrels. Take these a
ten dollars per barel-the lowest sum that has been
paid for them-the gross amount realized upon them
is six hundred dollars. He has to pay for picking,
including the price of the barrel, about one dollar
ia vii leay IN no aaf NJ
five hundred and forty dollars If we consider the
amount OF labor ard money expended upon what he
has under cultivation exclusive OF the picking Of the
fruit, it s Lot more than $50 annually. And let
not forget to mention that the original cost OF the
swamp, clearing, draining, fencing and planting has
not been more than $500, which the ard has paid
aud over again, the above returns prove it 70
have been profitable investment indeed.
The s.cond one which shall mention is a yard of
nearly the same dimensions the dJst. Ii am cor
reoty informed il cost the proprietor $500 that H.
the swamp, making snd planning the yard, and get
ting it into high state OF cultivation This yesr he
has hsed two hundred bushels OF cranberries which,