New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-05-30

aoNd0tage re1flgefd-
tors 20 farmers was properly illustrated by several
gentlemen
Crantervies-Moking Plantation.-SoL RoB-
iSsoS-Since our last meeting have been engaged IN
making cranberry plantation. Perhaps If | tell
what have done and how did it, in detail it may
lie useful TO somebody else. If ii should be the inceD-
tive to others to make plantation of these beautiful
little berries 80 as to produce only for family use, an
abundance Of this heallhcmoting, acid fruit shall be
able TO say that have, by my example, done some
good TO some one Of my fellow laborers.
Wien domclled myself, year ago, upon my little
fam in Westchester County, found truth in remark
of enc Of my neghbors TO friend who made inquiries
to MIA, sort of place Robinson had got He re-
Piled; We'll, naturally, pretty goo piece OF land,
though il has been hard-used except ugly spot OF
n IL fact WORSE than nothing Wy what is the
matter with that 2" "Oh il is bit Of swamp, too
the house to be pleasant and too wet to cultivate.
And so found it. Over shoe in water, covered
with bcgs brakes, briars, aders, and other swamp
productions, decidedly "too the house TO be
pleasant for the house stands in the center OF lot of
eight acresan Of course pretty near all parts Of IT,
When get my house built, and things set te rights
around IT, pitched into this "bit of swamp, with
three Irslmen, and the tools necessary to cut down.
dig out root up and get rid Of the bushes root and
branch, including another half acre along the brook
not quite so swampy. by going mile down tn
brook and getting some of my neghbors to help
little COZ the water of the brook to run away upon
pebbly led instead OF oozing through mass OF muck
AID then j found that short nde-ditch made my
True The pewman complained of degree. of sofness
which let his plow in unpeasantly deep but didn't
care. said, LET her rip When done, | said,
"N hat mass Of muck" will have il ali hauled up
the hill ana spread where | am gong TO plant black
berry plants in the Spring 1t is the best KIDD of ma;
nure for them. i woulo have composted IT If had
Lad anything TO compost il with.
After had got all the sods and boys, and roots and
oose muck OFF j found that the sponge being taken
away the water took itself away; and plOwed II
again this time turning up some OF the white SAND hat
undefes the surface Ii lay freezing, and thawing,
and melowing until dry enough to plow ana harrow
Iaet week received from Mr.. +. Bagley of Usque-
paug r. L., the pre- MUM cranberry grower OF down
East two barrels of cranberry vines partly cut and
partly pulled with roots, from his meadow. They
were said be of the cherry variety and cost "a a.
barrel IS for enough TO set out upon quarter OF an
First, put man with stout yoke OF Oxen 10
plow the ground 1t il not now swamp, but about
as div on the surface as the land alongside where the
oats are growing most luxuriantly. After blowing, IT
was thoroughly narrowed, and then furrowed twenty
inches apart, and set with VINES IN little punches, from
to II inches apart with long runners ald down IN
the furrow, and covered with hoe, leaving the
sprouts out. All the vines in the barrels had 10 be
ovelhauled and sorted out and Strengthened and were
then dipped in muddy water, and planted, whether
with without roots, so a. 10 cover the butts some
inches and leave the tops out very much as one might
plant currant cuttings.
Fortunately a few hours after we had finished,
lad the refreshing and much needed ram OF Saiur-
dav evening, and trust that LeXt year, my neighbor
won't look upon that bit Of swamp as quite so I'M
detirabe pOt he did Last year; and If produces
fruit as great many similar spots IN Massachusetts
have done, hope the owners of great many - bits
OF swamp" in the county where | live will be IN
duced to change their appearance and fruitfulness
Upon Cape Cod, where cranberry culture has been
carried TO the greatest extent, swampy land that was
few wears ago considered utterly worthless has now
saeabe value OF $500 81 200 acre; and some of
the owners Of such land have found II good invest
ment Of time and money TO exPend from sou TO
81 600 upon an acre, TO bring 1t into condition nj 10
be Ilanted with CranbeTries.
In view of these facts make this pertinent inquiry
of every farmer in all the Northern States, where
cIanberres ART found growing wild; +" are there no
twamps wet valleys, or brook borders, upon your
farm now, perhaps, uDsghtly spots, as TINS OF mlne
WIS q wear ago-wet swamps In Winter, and dry and
pestiierous in Summer If you have SUCH plant them
with cranberry vines and tend them one or two years
till the vines get well set, and then they Will tend
Themselves and produce you average more bushels
of fruit per acre than you get Of potatoes; and 10 not
much work TO gather than 1t is the tubers and
generally speaking you can sell bushel OF cranber-
Ties for The price of five bushels of potatoes.
Truth it il said, lies at the bottom of well. The
well that holds the truth in relation TO cranberry cub
tuIe and its protabeness upon many OF the worthless
hogs that render farms unstable, as III the case OF
nine and detract from the value OF the up
land must be a remarkably deep one, or II would
have been dug out before now, and made TO SHINE IN
all the rich crimson luster OF held OF TINS ripe iru
Here upon this little brook where l have made the
first plantation there is now, above and below more
than hundred acres, more valuable than my little
corner for The purpose and of almost no value;
and If all converted into cranberry plot, the whole
could be flooded for of 500 for dam where the
brock cuts through narrow gorge IN the rocks And
this is by no means a solitary case. All over the coun-
try there are Just su Relationships as suitable for
the purpose ust as worthless for any other.
win what have said to-day induce one single
owner of similar swampy spots TO clear single quarter
acre and plant il with cranberry vines Let hope.
Tie next meeting will discuss cultivation fruits
flowers. Spring planting &c. The Club meets every
Monday noon.