Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1870-08-12
agricultural.
Cranberry Culture.


Is the use in flowing cranbcnies.
Having conferred with your CORES
pendent at Canton Mills, and having
learned the necessities in his case,-the
old cranberry grower in that region hsv-
ing copyrighted his knowledge for the
benefit OF those who viii give him $40
and asking 81 per busbel for vines. and
loose measure at that, while il is very un-
certain how or where he obtained his-we
feel free 10 give what we may know of
cranberry culture tctth0Ht fee.
Cranberrics seem 10 be an anomaly in
vegetation, growing where rothing else
will, and flourish. They seem 10 be or
iained to fill the waste places of creation.
They flourish on the lowest boys. on the
moist. barren. sandy plains, and yet they
frequently crown the mountain top. We
have found them on the summit of Mt
Abram. nearly 1000 feet above the level
of the sea where the dwarf spruce. a
thousand years old, were only three feet
high.
They seem to shy the kind hand of
culture, although art may provide condi-
lions under WHICH they may the better
flourish. They are sometimes found on
meadows. boys and plains, growing with
grass and other vegetation. Sometimes
they are found on uplands whele the soil
is poor. sandy or gravelly and wet. Here
the farmer may pro6tably extend them by
removing the sward and planting the
vines. They will not succeed where the
soil is rich-whcre the ground has been
plowed aud highly cultivated.
The best place for cranberies is on low
meadows and boys. especially if they
can be flowed at pleasure. There should
be deep peat or muck bottom, and the
softer. and even The more miry, the bet
ter The sward should be removed
This may be done in two ways The
bog or meadow may DC flowed two years,
which will kill il, Or the sward may he
cut with cutters mounted on wheels. with
sharp spade, and then carted off or
thrown into heaps. This is tedious
process; but the sward, when roIted, is
very valuable Ton manural purposes.
When the sward is drowned or remov-
ed, the surface should be covered with
four inches of sand or gravel. This Is
best applied in the winter, especially il
the bottom be soft. The plants should
be set, about the goth of May, in rows
two feet apart, 50 that the vines may be
kept free from grass until the vines
spread over the surface; then they will
assume the responsibility
Whether vines had best be set. or
whether they should be propagatcd from
the seed. we know not The usual way
is to set old vines. Vines with roots are
preferable, but if they have no roots, they
viii root themselves The Bell. Bugle
and Cherry are best varieties.
The object OF flowing cranberry
grounds in ,he winSr is. 81 in flowing
grass meadows. to keep the roots and
muck from freezing. and to enrich the
bottom. The water should be flowed
deeply over the vines, but SO the &c and
snow may cover the vines.
The object OF summer flowing is to wet
the bottom, TO refresh the plants and to
Kill vcrmin. 1t should be let on for few
hours once in u fortnight.
Where meadows and bogS can be flow
cd % kill the grass roots il Is n very easy
matter to prepare tor cranbcrrieS, proyid-
I'll sand or gravel be within hauling dis
tance. II the sward Is to be removed by
hand, ana it can be cut readily, the turf
for manure will pay the bills
There is no more profitable business
tlan cranberry growing where one has
the facilities. Cranberries are worth FIVE
dollars per bushel. and 100 bushel. i; a
small Weld Five hundred dollars an
acre from an otherwise worthless bog i
better than breaking ones back over six
acres Of coin. When your cranberry
bed is once founded. it requires but little
attention. II disdalus manure and cult.
walton. What mine OF wealth there is
in the acidity of our worthless boys! He
is = wise man who viii extract prom
seeming evil still educing good
If the old saying be true. God never
made two bills without valley between, ~
what facilities must Maine possess for
cranberry growing. Wherever we travel
we descry the broad burrows that nature
has turned with her double mould broad
share that man might get rich by cranber-
ry culture. To closely apply this subject
we have such an offering of nature. But
alas, we are old.
We have often notified our friends ut
F. Monmouth that they are sighting ma.
lures best offering. There lies meadow
Of 20 acres, some half dozen owners,
that can be. and in fact is, flowed by q
dam two rods long On the east shore of
this meadow lies steep bank of sand
which would handily furnish any amount
Of dressing. This meadow in five years
may made to WELD so, 900 worth of cram
berries. 1t is The best chance for cranber-
ry growing the country affords. But we
suppose cur good friends do not love lucre
enough to put our advice, gratis, into
practice. Many other excellent chances