The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1869-09-16

,R Is, 1869.
since, the popular resort, and will
the towns on Shrewsbury river, wa
regularly visited by the best people
butI found signs OF decay, both ii
the Hotels and those living in them
The Highlands, however, never car
loose it's natural superiority over any
other resort on the coast. Its eleva
tion gives on unsurpassed sea view
and the woods and grass, and th,
proximity Of Shrewsbury river, af
ford variety in the way of fishing
bathing and boating, and sport gen
orally, that cannot be had every
where. just think Of lying on the
soft grass, on q hot summer day
your head resting on the moss GOV.
cred trunk Of gigantic tree that
shades you with its foliage, while
the breeze wraps you in its cool en-.
brace, while you watch lazily the
passing vessels as they glide in and
out, seeking carefully the channel
that leads to New York and home, OF
stretching out boldly into tho wide
waters for foreign port.
In my opinion this is preferable
10 setting on the hot sand under the
shade of an umbrella, or even wear.
ing out clothes on the cool side Of a
rough rock. So much for the High
lands. ..,....
To Long Branch is only half an
hours ride by rail, from which place
wo made an early escape. From this
point we haYe the choice of routes,
either directly South over beach
road, or by rail through the border
country. We preferred the railway
as it offered greater variety and
comfort. After passing through a
strip oflow unproductive land, we en-
tered an undulating country, with .
soil Of white sand and sparse
growth Of pine, oak and hickory. The
general barrenoss of the soil is in pro
cess Of Improvement, owing to late
discoveries Of extensive Marl beds,
which for richness is said to surpass
any fertilizer in use. The use of this
Marl is not confined to this locality,
but is offered 80 cheaply, that it is in
general use throughout the State,
and will probably find its way wher-
ever a fertilizer is needed.
We passed through Bricksburg,
celebrated for . day, by the late visit
Of President Grant, and which is not
a brick town, but q place of score
of wooden houses. An active land
company is engaged in pressing its
claims as a choice site tor summer
residences, but l doubt if Grant ever
builds a house on any portion of tho
fifty acres given him.
We arrived at the town of Toms
River at 2p. m-ended our ride by
rail. We had passed through two
large counties, one of which (Mon.
mouth) is called superior agricul-
tural country. We saw little else
than sand-barrens. The naturalpro-
duct are berries, of which immense
quantities of the black and whortle
species, are shipped to New York.
An old farmer told me that he had
an acre of whortle berries, averaging
the size of small plums, and the berry
crop from his land gave him in good
year, one thousand dollars. Scattered
along the railway are small shanties
used as fruit depots. They are the
centres to which tho neighborhood
bring..berries, and from which packed
in wooden crates they are forwarded
to New York. These crates pass to
and fro, and do service the entire sea-
son.
In the ncighborhood of Toms River
are immense cranberry bays. l had
the pleasure Of visiting several bays
in various stages of propagation and
growth. Low ground is always Sc
lected for the crop, inasmuch as the
vine must be wholly submerged du-
ring the cold season, and at all times
must have certain degree Of mois-
ture. A running stream, q mere riv-
ulet will do, with system of trenches
and water gate to regulate the flow
must be secured. The ground
is leveled smoothed and ditched, and
the plants set in rows about two (2)
feet distance. The land and labor is
estimated at one thousand dollars to
tho acre. In the third year, usually
and ccrtaioly at the fourth year o
crop may be relied on that will reim-
burse all expenses, and ever after
the owner will nave his crop regular
y as the season comes, with little or
no labor aside from packing the ripe
fruit. Ofcourse l heard the rosy
side of the cranberry question, but
without doubt, with the immense
demand for the berry, its certainty
ofa large yield, and the small capital
or labor required, a profitable and
healthy occupation is offered without
a parallel. At Toms River and also
at a village calledSquan, a dozen miles
northward, both lying on inlets of
the sea, a lively business is done in
soft crabs and clans. Fifty cents will
buy a thousand clans, and when first
fresh eaten, fresh from the water,