The Richmond Indiana palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1854-1855, 1855-05-31
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CEAaBEts1 WORM
It's history and habits are not generally
known The eggs IS supposed to Be deposi
ted in the blossom. From this egg proceeds
small caterpillar, which works is way
through the fruit, eating the pulp and causing
II TO grow red prematurely and decay. Il
bears q striking resemblance to the apple
worm and seems to be very much like i. in
its habits
Two different remedies have been adopted
for this evil One is to flow the cranberry
ground one whole year. thus iooSing the crop
or one season, and the other to sow salt upon
the cranberry bed. at the rate Of about five
or six bushels to the acre On plantations
which cannot be flowed. the latter will proba
bly, be found to be the only etfectual remedy
Ii is thought that the application Of salt would
be beneficial TO the cranberres, even if il did
not destroy prevent the rayages of the in
sect.
MODE OF GATHERING.
In this country the cranberry is generally
gathered with q rake. made for that purpose,
By which twenty or thirty bushels day can
be gathered This raking is considered bene
fetal when no other cultivation is practicable
In Germany. the small cranberry Is gath
cred by means Of wooden combs. In gland
and Scotland where they are not found 50
abundantly. they are generally picked by hand
So much then for Mr. Film aud the Massa-
chusetts agriculturists. who have devoted thel
attention 10 this subject. As we promised III
the commencement, the preceding remarks
have been almost literal quotation from
Secretary Fhnts report, lnLerlarded with
the experiments and conclusions Of Others
laboring in the same sphere, and we no
better conclude this portion of our remarks.
than by permitting him to speak as follows:
IF | have dwelt longer on this subject than
It's comparative importance would seem to
Justify 1t need only be stated that the cultya
ton Of cranberries is East becoming an impo
tant branch OF our agriculture, more than
one hundred thousand bushels of this valua
bic fruit having been gathered during the
past season. from land which, for all other
purposes. would have been comp aratively
worthless, while the demand for it here and in
England. is sufficiently large to absorb all
that can be thrown into marhet.-that the in
formation on this subject much scattered
and inaccessible to many. and that great tacil-
tiles were at my command for extensive and
accurate observation of experiments. many OF
which had been tried so long that | could
state conclusions resting them, with some
degree Of confidence
Having thus given. far as possible. a
synopsis OF the labors of others in this pref
table branch Of agriculture, We come to what
Interests US more especially,
THE CRANBERRY REGION OF INDIANA.
1t may be stated in general terms that the
cranberry is found growing spontaneously
wherever there are sandy swamps Perhaps
there is no portion of The Stale where these
conditions exist. that it is not found to some
extent. 1t is almost universal accornpanl-
ment of bad roads. deer skins, venison hams
and teams.
The most extensive and productive natural
cranberry meadows are found in the spar>eIy
settled .swamp lands of the State" exgen
ding from the seth deg. of west longitude. to
the western limits of the SAFE. and from tie
4lst deg. Of north latitude to Lake Michigan
and the northern boundary of The State, aud
composing of near eco square
miles. But especially that part of this re -,ion
watered by the kankakee river, and contained
in the counties Of Starke, Pulaski. Laporte
and Porter, may be considered the principa!
cranberry region of Indiana. The face OF
the country is generally level. in;erspersed
with what commonly called sand hills.
on which sunted growth of oak timber OF
its different varieties. flourish; and the prair-
les. where the cianberries abound. seem like Il
successive chain of lakes winding around the
cumps of timber and hills that represent the
shores. The soil is rich vegetable mold
formed by the decomposition Of grasses in
these lakes upon a sub soil of sand. In this
soil, containing all the natural aad simple ee
menls Of the cranberry, (watcr and sandy
soil. no cultivation is required but simple
protection from fire and cattle to produce
most amply remunerating crops. A simple
fence sufficient 10 turn the ca tie. and the
proper care to guard against the fires that oc-
casionlly sweep through the praries, is all
that is required; nature is kind as to do
the flowing, very judcously turning the wa
ter on in the month of November and keeping
it there until the lst of May. thus obeying 10
the letter. the regulations of the Massachu-
sets cranberry culturlsts.
This simple mode of realizing profit from
the natural increase. will pay amply for the
expense and time but it unfortunately hap
pens for those of us who live in the northern
boys. that usually the vines scattered in lit
tie clumps all over The plantation and hence
the necessity of transplantins. Cultivation
with Us Is not SO much TO improve the size
and quality of the fruit, as To increase tire
quantity and to bring together in one meadow.
the vines that are so scattered as to be of lit
tie benefit Our mode is very simple we
pillow and harrow the ground turning the sod
over and then set out the plants in clumps.
say from % 10 "a inches apart. the distance
upon the amount and kind of sub
sequent cultivation We have perhaps five
or six acres, put in last fall, at an expense of
$40 per acre. We have made no provision
for flowing. nature will do part Of it. and
we can very easily turn in the water from an
ad lacent drain.
Eighteen months have scarcely expired
since our advent into the cranberry region of