Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1861-02-02
farmers' 9epartment.
Cultivation of the Cranberry.

TOM Tue
Mr.. EDlroR,-In compliance with your
request to furnish you with a cranberry arti.
Gle, the following is at your disposal:
A long series OF experiment and close ob-
servation, have established some points which
ia is absolutely necessary should not be over.
looked by any one entering into the business
of raising cragberries.
This vine might also be called q marine
plant. so great is its love for water, and SD
soon does 1t perish when deprived of fun
supply of this its necessary ailment.
The frst and most important point, is to
select piece OF ground which is aipays
moist, even in the severest summer droughts ;
and if it has stream running through it
which could be damned, aud 10 which you
could place small draw gate, 10 order to
food or drain at pleasure, SO much the
better. Stagnant water will soon Kill the
vines consequently ponds or puddles having
no outlet or current, should be avoided.
Secondly. Having selected u spot as de.
scrbed, uuless the soil be nearly pure sand
or peat, it will be necessary to remove the
entire surface 10 Ne depth Of several inches ;
or, if preferred, to cover the existing coil to
the depth OF three inches with either sand or
peat. Any attempts to raise eranberries
upon a clay soil must prove futile; they may
be raised upon sandy loan, but the poorer
the better, for the presence Of either animal
or vegetable matter in the soil produces
redundancy of riRe, but an almost eutlre
failure OF berries.
Thirdly. 1t is very necessary, after having
set out the vines, that they should be kept
clean from weeds aud glass for the first Two
years after which they well so completely
cover the ground as to require no farther
attention on that source.
Fourthiy. Be very careful in your selec.
tion of vines for planting, otherwise you may
have fiourishing growth. but no fruit
None but one experienced IN the cultivation
of the cranberry can select the healthy or
bearing from the unhealthy or barren vines
es specislly as the lstter have much the most
attractive appearance, being stronger and
greener than the fruitful vines. To accom-.
plish this it will be necessary either to select
FROM q yard which you have seen in good
can place implicit confidence.
The cranberry wine is very hardy. and when
once fairly rooted, needs but little farther at.
tention. Its manner OF growth, starting from
the root, is TO throw out ruuDer OF from two
to five feet; from this springs upright stems
or shoots Of from four to six inches in lruglb
on which are borne the berries. With each
succeeding season these runners extend IN
length. producing new uprights-the stems
of the previous year increasing in length and
continuing in bearing. until the ground is
entirely covered or matted, as it is technically
termed.
Like all other plants, the cranberry is liza
BILE to the attacks of certain insects, which |
either injurs the vine or destroy tbs berry. !
The yrOria attacks the new growth at or about |
Ihs time Of blossoming it does not attack
he old growth. bot commences at The base
,f the new and works upwards. Its presence
9 at once known by the appearances OF tios
web which sncircles the upper portion oil the
llsnt The fruit worm is tbs most deslruc.