Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1868-03-05
CRANBERRY CULTURE.
BY +. $. MERRIMAN, RED BANK, N. j.

&ANA ~ INN VIVA bAh ne
BY L. 8. MERRIMAN, RED BANK, N. j.
In my last gave you an account of my
trip down the line of the Delaware Railroad
in search of cranberry lands. Having had
experience in cultiyating cranberries in New
Jersey, feel confident of its success in the
lower counties of your State, and in this
letter propose to talk little of the profits
of this culture.
AT no period has the subject of cranberry
culture engrossed SO large share of public
ever been SO large a crop as the past season,
and well may the public wake up to this
matter when fortunes are being made on q
few acres of cranberry land. This is as 1t
should be. The past year has been one OF
great profit to the cranberry grower, many
of the fields in New Jersey, producing as
high as one thousand dollars per acre.
There is no reason why many of the bottom
and swamp lands Of Delaware and Maryland
should not be put into profitable use, and
surely there is none more profitable with as
little trouble as the planting and cultivation
of them with cranberries. An acre OF land
planted with this fruit and in successful
bearing, sells readily at 81 200, and it is no
uncommon thing for man to purchase a
cranberry field and receive from the avails
ofit all his purchase money in two, or at
most, three years. There are millions of
money in the country seeking profitable in
vestment, and some of ii will doubtless find
its way into the section of which we are
speaking, and for the purposes named.
found in all the towns l stopped at that the
people were thinking and talking not only
of their strawberries and peaches, but Gran
berries, and when told them | was from
New Jersey, the conversation always turned
Immediately upon the culture Of cranberrics.
1t is astonishing to hear some of the reports
that come in from those who arc cultivating
this fruit The largest yield have heard
OF is from Mr.. w. T. Bates, of Cape May
county, who has raised at the rate of 800
bushels per acre, or one bushel 10 every
three feet square. have some land thai
produced at the rate OF $50 bushels per acre
and another / have heard of that was owe
800. But of course these yields are Eot ex
pected on large scale, yet good cultiva
iion will always insure large returns. Tw,
hundred bushels per acre is perhaps below
the average yield Of first class fields, We
this is enough to pay net profit of ST,
hundred dollars per acre, and is on til,
average about two hundred per cent. on tn,
investment. South jersey boasts of he
cranberry fields; and we'll she may. Blu
Delaware and Maryland will soon CLAIM
their share Of praise. DIR. Hitch, Of Laurel
Del, is going TO put out five or ten acre.
this spring, and when the ball is once set ii
motion all who have suitable lands will Civ
ii push. predict that in the next twev
months more than hundred acres will b
set in cranbcrries in Kent and SUISSE
counties alone.
In choosing lard for cranberry field
caution should be used that all the require
ments OF soil and water are filled, stherwi.
the grower will not be perfectly successful
Lands Of alluvial formation, and that ca
be flowed or drained at pleasure, are ccrtai
of success, and saw plenty of such land
in all the places visited. am fully awar
| that the preparation of land for CROWN
this fruit is no trifling matter. Ordinaril
1t is expensive, and too frequently beyon
] the means Of those who would, but for til
! drawback, willingly engage in the business
a This will perhaps delay the movement som,
! what, for while, but it can affect it for
! brief period only. ANY business that wi
|. !. pay from one to two hundred per cent wi
: find plenty of capitalists as soon as it
D known. And this the cranberry cultu
4 does in New Jersey and it will do the spu
# in Delaware.
y The cranberry needs long season TO m
j. ture and assume its beautiful dark purp
! color and develop its full richness OF 1avo
!, and in this the people of Delaware al
. Maryland have at least two or three weel
Z advantage over those of New Jersey. I'll
= fruit will come into market earlier, and &c
e ting fully ripened before the frosts will Ike,
e longer, thus enabling the southern grower
70 compete with and outstrip those Of mo
e northern climes. There are many mo
d statistics that might be given, showing Il
d protltabeness Of this culture in New Jerse
e but lest make this letter too long, al
II take up too much of your room will on
y them.
In my next will give you dcscrpti
It of the proper soil and the mode of prep,
St ing it, &c, &c.