Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1872-10-24
Nallp sismlebct yeurnal.
CULTIVATION AND IMPORTANCE OF THE
CRANBERRY CReP

The cultivation Of cranberries affords a
profit such as attend few other branches
ot agriculture at the present time; and
Were it not that so few farmers are &C.
quaintcd with the mode of their culture,
we should expect to see many, especially
In New England, go into it. The great
bulk of cranberries are now raised in New
Jersey. According to statistics. the cash
value of the cranberry crop in the United
States has been estimated rs follows:
In 1870, Maine produced 1000 barrels
Massachusetts 5000, Connecticut 1000. New
Jersey $4,000. This amount OF 6l'oQ9 /
barrels was raised principally hom cuti-
waited fields At nineteen stations on tue
St. Paul & Milwaukee railroad, l4.3o3 bar
rrls were freighted during the season o!
1869; only ahont 5000 barrels were ship
ped during 1868. the crop OF 1901 was
estimated at g., 800 barrels. of which New
Jersey produced $1,000, New Eng and
1900 and the West $4,000 barrels. The
average price per barrel for the season OF
1867 was SIG per barrel, giving total OF
100000.
Since the above statistics there has been
q large increase OF land devoted to cram
berries in New Jersey. and it is now esti-
mated that there are over 5000 acres DE-
voted to their culture in that State and
the crop was over 5000, 900. Hun
dreds of acres Of land are being redeem
ed every year from the unproductive CON
diioa aud devoted to cranberry culture.
We see no reason why this branch OF ag-
riaul;urc should be confined to New jer-
sry. Tor almost every farmer in New Eng
l;Snd has more or less land suitable fnr the
production of the crop.
The mode of cultvating is TO select a
piece of land that can be flowed with wa
ter, or that is wet OF itself The surface
or turf TO be Skinned OFF and cleared OF
all roots, then sand is cafted On 10 the
depth of four or six inches. nto which lie
plants are set. After cranberry roots are
we'll set out they need but little cultivation
II grass, sorrel ar weeds get among thu
vines, they must be killed out or they vii
kill out the cranberry vines. 1t is gener
ally done by hoeing. but an easier plan j.
to flood the meadow Xne season and drown
them all out. We have been told by {
cuitivator of cranberries that the compfe
hensiye maxim is to flood in winter ant
starve in summer that is. 10 have the
i. land lie so water can be turned CD in the
fall and let the eranberlies stand under
water all winter and then turned off in the
spring, so the sand will be dry all sum
mer. The plants are generally set out in
the spring and the berries mature the next
year, the fruit maturing about the first OF
October each year. Oae planting will
las, lifetime if properly cultivated, and
rs we have said before, IT is an easy, prof
table crop to raise. 1t gives employment
TO a large number Of boys and girls in
picking time, sand they yield profit from
5000 to $500 per acre.
The cost per acre to prepare the land
including leyelling. removing turf sup
plying sand, draining and erecting dam.
for flooding, is estimated at $500 per acre
1t is not every year they bear freely
The report this year from the Cape God
district of our own State is that The vine
were badly winter killed, and the product
will be small; but they generally yield
after the vines are four wears old, from
one hundred to two hundred bushels pc
acre. The annual flooding is the safe
guard OF the crop. BY it not oniy III
grass and weeds arc Killed ont, but 1t pre-
vents worms and insects from desiroyin.
the vines OF berries.
We have given cranberry culture, il
mode OF cultivation and its profit, mucl
in detail to show that it is no experiment
for our farmers To raise them successfully
provided they have the land to spare. an0
Il can be easily seen that the clearing ~
Of what are now urcultivated and unprot-
liable pieces are just what is wanted TO
produce crop that will compete with the
richest aud most productive soil in olhei
crops.
The consumption oil cranberres has in
creased So that if there should be an
increase in fruit the prices, which have
been steadily advancing the last few years
will be likely to be sustained
Massachusetts, paper