The Portland daily press., 1874-10-21
THE FARM AND HOUSEHOLD.
Cranberry Culture.


There is no crop from which mole money
has been made, probably, in proportion to their
value, than cranberries. At the same time
there have been very many failures. But in this
locality all failures were owing to the fact that
too little instead of too much capital was in
vested. My experience of fourteen years goes
to show that, although made some radical
mistakes. made the business pay over 100
per cent, and still see many very important
points in which 1 could improve on anything
have done or have seen done by others. One
thing is evident to every one that has ever
tried it that cranberry vines are the toughest
things to kill and the easiest vegetable to grow
yet known. 1 have had one barrel from a
square rod on nearly One-half an acre picked
and measured.
As to varieties, it is claimed by some that
there are but three varieties-the cherry, the
bell, and bugle. But there are as many SUBJ
divisions of these as there are ofapples. am
not speaking now of the upland cranberry.
When the vines are selected they are taken
from the original bog, and most men naturally
select the rankest, largest, and darkest-colored
vines. This is all wrong. select the palest-
colored, smallest-leaved, and yellow golden
colored runners. l commenced with hand
full that have reset three times, and now have
some four acres of these vines, which have
beat my neighbOrs' in yield one-third, where
other conditions were equal. The dark, large
leaved, and rank-looking vines bear very large
berries, but few in number, some hardly any.
There is root worm that Injuries vines set
on mud bottom, where it is not ditched and
sanded, but where patch is properly improved
l have had no trouble with them. There is
the vine-worm. The miller is very small, of
light brown color, not much larger than
cranberry leaf, and looks like one when not in
motion. They tie up the tops of the uprights
with q fine UQh Thou hafnI, fvuio in
son when not interfered with once about the
LIST of June, again about the LIST of July. They
have not troubled this locality this season to
any extent. They are very easily prevented
from doing any damage by flooding, especially
if my plan of making low dams four rods apart
is adopted. Then there is the berry worm,
which is easily destroyed by water if taken at
the right time. The berry worm also attacks
upland cranberries, and the only remedy
known to me is to burn brush on either side Of
the patch at night to attact the millers. The
vine worm is native of low land; have new
er known of its troubling on up land. The
amount of labor necessary to keep cranberry
patch clean until in full bearing depends alto
gether on the manner the ground is improved.
in the first place. There are several kinds of
bunch grasses that grow low, also punches of
sand rushes that grow two feet high if let
alone. II all these weeds are kept out until
the vines get matted the vines will keep them
out afterward
But the true way is to get fall by lowering
down the streams, and ditch as often as four
rods both ways, and let the water follow from
the brook. This makes it too dry for grass to
grow. In our locality the best sand to put
on the bushes lies under the muck; this saves
carriage. In case of drought board is put in
each fiume, and the ground is soon flooded !;
then the board may be taken out before any
grass stares. Some think cranberries need a
good deal of water. This is a mistake; they
need no more than corn or potatoes. have
never known as much growth on low land in
one year as have where it was ten feet to
water. I said cranberry vines will keep out
all kinds of grass. I will except one species of
of sedge. This is caused by springs, and is
only prevented by thorough ditching. A
small running blackberry is very troublesome,
and no flooding or ditching affects it; it must
be dug out by the roots with hook. There is
nothing gained in putting off this wedding !;
what could be done in one day the first Eyear
viii take five or six the next year. As to loca-
tlons we take valleys from eleven to twenty
hve miles wide, having running stream and
short brush, but no grass muck bottoms from
one to two feet deep; these can be improved
for half the cost of cedar swamp. am very
sure, from my past experience, can make a
patch worth 1900, purchased in this locality
at an expense of $500 per acre. I would re-
mark have heard that fires in New Jersey
have recently burned all around our cranberry
patches and never knew or heard of this risk
before. They will not burn with us. If
they would, on my place, in case of fire or
danger of frost, can put eleven acres under
water in six hours. A. j. KINDS.
lPatchogue, Long Island.