Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1871-08-10
A cranbeyu Pateh.

Many have small natural boys FROM
which they pick few quarts or bushels Of
cranberries, but they have lot faith enough
in the enterprise to spend a dollar In i'm
provement Draining, sanding, and plow-
ing pays, and there is hardly any invest
ment q farmer can make that pays half as
well. We have just visited bog on .
shore farm in Rhode Island which is In.
structive In showing that little improve
ment pays, and that more pays still better
There is only an acre OF IL and IL lacks the
capacity of sudden nowage, though 1t can
be readily flowed In winter two or three
feet deep. When the owner came into
possession . few years since there was =
small atch of cranberries q: the north end
OF the bog which had yielded occasional
crops but were not OF much account. The
owner skinned the rest OF the bog when Il
was so son that he had TO draw the cut
tings and turf ashore with q rope and
puiieys procured a barrel OF extra
large fruit-bearing vines from Maine, for
which he paid fiftcen dollars and cost OF
transportation. lie had not faith enough
In sanding to spread 1t four or FIVE inches
thick, and SO planted upon the bare peat.
The vines, Of course, grew luxurisntly. and
soon began to bear. The new vines yield
ed nearly double the quantity OF the old
ones. and the owner felt well paid for his
outlay. Last fall he gathered sixteen bar
rels from his little patch. and sold them
for SIS each. making $40 for his crop,
more clear profit than he received from
all the rest OF the farm. The yield. though
much beyond that of natural boys. Is very
small in comparison with those which are
properly cared for. In these the yield Is
sometimes leo barrels to the acre. leo Is
not unusual under favorable circumstances.
and fifty Is about the average with all the
drawbacks OF imperfect preparation and
ignorance In management. Now suppose
this bog At the time IL was skinned had re-
cciyed a coating of gravel, which Is abund-
ant unon its shore and would have cost
about $500; the yield would have been ,s,
fall fifty barrels at the least. and he would
have realized from the sslc of his fruit at
the same price o1Jo-threc times a. much
a. would have bcO necessary 10 sand his
bog. Imperfect a. the bog is he has been
offered 81 900 for the acre OF land. and
been wise enough to refuse II, for he now
means TO sand and see what that will do
for him. Another Improvement still is
needed, more perfect drainage, for there
are no bitches through the main body OF
the bog. This is quite as essential a.
sand. for the best results. Another item
of income from his patch il the sale OF
NiufNs uf~t bEIuE hppuh 80
rod, or over sS.0do per acre. 1t Is true
vines can be had at two or three dollars a
barrel. but there j. as much difference In
cranberry vines as In anything else. and
planters. who are wise, will get the hes I
without economizing on the first cost. II
was good economy for this planter to pay
SIS barrel FOR variety yielding n very
large berry in large quantity. IL was bet
ter to do thus than TO take the common
Kind on his own land for nothing He will
MAKE money by the sale OF plants. and Il
/ he has enterprise enough TO advertise b,
4 would make ten times a. much.
Theirs is nothing peculiar in the charac-
ter or situation OF this bog. Many can be
/ found having equal advantages. and some
that have much deeper peat and better "a.
/ cilities for fowage. why should they not
/ be improved: Why should this buslnes,
be so largely in the hands OF large capital
ISIS who spend their money freely In max
/ Ing thorough preparation and reap yer,
/ large rewards, There is nothing In tn.
4 history OF this fruit Ia indicate b surplu,
| production. II j. true some large planter
/ kept their crop until this spring. and sol,
| At less than they could have obtained las
| fall But this was an error In judgcmcn
IN selling, not in growing the fruit The
| average price has been over SlO per barre
for the Last twenty year.. and i not likely
10 be less for many wears to come =
/ HsGyTh and Hame.