Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1859-04-23
Cranberry Culture.
20 the Editor Of the Ner York 7ra

10 the EaltoT Of the Neao J Ork Tfi6-
atale.
S1R:-I notice the revival Of the
American Institute Farmers Clubs in
whose discussions | have heretofore
taken much interest. I should like to
be present at some of its meetings and
take share in it's discussions, but as
this is inconvenient, l avail myself Of
the pen as an alternative. | send you
another specimen of my cranberriesr and
also another article which has been
prepared with the hope of supplying,
in some degree, the demands made of
late for information on the subject of
cranberry culture.
SOIL BEST ADAPTED TO RAIsING.-A
low, swampy piece of land is, in my
opinion, best adapted to the growth Of
the fruit and vine in question. Nature
herself seems to teach this lesson.-
Travel from Maine to Minnesota, and,
SO far as my knowledge extends, you
will find the cranberry growing, in 8
state Of nature, only in some swamp or
Oh its margin. Yoa will also find that
it Is located in some swamp which is
likely to be moist throughout the year,
thus eyidencing It's affinity for water
Again, the swamp commends itself to
the would-be cranberry eultivator, for
the reason that it is generally useless
for other purposes. and to titit for other
purposes would require a greater OUT
lay than 20 fit it for cranberry raising.
For the latter, you need only suffici-
ent number Of drains to remove surface
water, more are not only unnecessary,
but | think, detrimental. Still further,
the ease with which most swamps can
be flowed during the Fall, Winter and
Springs, give the cultivator an advan-
tage over weeds which, on dry land
are not only more annoying but which
can be kept in check by persevering
use Of the hoe, or something equivalent
To accomplish this, one has only to
close his drain in the Fall, as soon as
the fruit is gathered, and leave them
closed until the return Of warm weather
in the Spring, a course which I would
recommend wherever practicable
Where this can be done, very little, if
any, wedding or hoeing will be neces-
sary.
MODE OF CULTURE.-TIaving drain
ed the land as intimated, those portions
on which the water remained most of
the year, will usually be sufficiently
clean for the immediate introduction Of
the plants. # any portion is covered
with q thck sod, it should be pared Off
and thrown into heaps for decomposi-
ton; the result forms an excellent man
urial preparation for fruit trees. In the
new surface thus exposed, Imakc shall
low parallel trenches, eighteen inches
OF two feet apart; and in these trenches
place my vines, varying from two to
eight feet in length. 4 slight covering
every six or eight inches completes the
work Of transplanting. At each point
SO covered, roots will be formed and
new vines will shoot off: Set in such
soil, no drouth need be apprehended. |
In two or three years they will cover
the ground. Being an evergreen, the |
plants may be set late in the spring.
AS season for transplanting, I prefer
spring to fall; plants set in the latter
season have no time to take root, and |
consequently are liable to be thrown
out by the frosts
Prolific QUALITIEs.-My variety,
the Low Land Bell (Oxcoceus macro-
carpns,) is an annual bearer, and will |
produce fruit the same year in which
the plants are set. From few rods
Of ground set in cranberries last May,
| gathered a half bushel, some ofwhich |
are in the package | send you. My
crop hs5 increased in fours year from
seven to sixty bushels. The readers
of the Tribune, especially those who
read the price current of this fruit, need |
not be told that an outlay of fifty dol
lars on a swamp which was before use
less, was no bad investment. Many
q similar swamp, which now disfgures
many a mans farm, might, by simil
ar outlay, be made to yield similar or
even great profits. Drain them, we
say, and transplant the cranberry, and
the desert, in summer, will ''blossom F..
as q rose," and in autumn wear the |
crimson dessert which not only all
good housewives, but even kings may
we'll covet. NOBLE HILL.
CATION, Steuben County, n Y.