Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1875-01-15


Some cranberry growers begin to fear that
the business may possibly be overdone. The
result is a competition for the best and cheap
est method Of production. The New Jersey
Cranberry Association have taken measures,
and so far with excellent results, to establish
a market in England. When a foreign de.
mand is established there is no danger of this
business being Improbable for want Of
market for the produce. But with increased
competition there must be a greater econo-
my in cost of production. In connection
with economy of expense of production l
have new method Of training the runners
oil one way up and down the stream. This
can be done with a rake the second year
from setting out. The advantages are, all
the runners can take root, which they cannot
do in the natural way, as they cross and re-
cross each other until they pile up two or
three inches thick, when only those on the
ground can take root. On my plan they
will root 10 half the time After this is done
| put on one iuch of dry sand. Then | can
rake the berries at tenth of the cost Of
hand picking 1t is the net profits we are
after in any kind of business. | have be-
fore given the advantages of low dams, made
four or five rods apart, over large dams.
which are expensive and rocky. The advan-
tages Of these are that in case of danger of
worms or frost, one inch Of water over the
vines is as good as five feet. Ten acres can
be flooded in one.tenth Of the time that they
can be flooded by one dam, except the
whole ten acres form dead level. Our
streams generally have a fail of FIVE feet in
forty to fifty rods consequently it would be
impracticable to grade so much land to lev
e. Besides, it would spoil the most of it
for cranberres, as it would lower it, in part,
below the springs. With dams four rods
apart, one board will generally be sufficient
to raise water enough to cover four rods; if
not, it is not expensive to take off two or
three inches fran the upper side and put it
on the lower side After the Hume is in
aud the water raised there is water.level
A large dry-goods box is sufficient for the
lume, as there would be DO risk Of dams
breaking or fumes giving out with one foot
head on. Besides it is easier to wheel the
turf four rods than fifteen to twenty-five for
a large dam A ditch should be dug on the
oiut WI NuiCu Tue udin lS induts anu Tue ullCu-
es not too close for draining the ground
effectually. There is no use in trying to
raise cranberries successfully without thor
ough drainage. On this plan dams cost
nothing, while they are worth more to raise
basket-willow on than the same land in Gran.
berries. In grading where there is no muck
bottom, the top soil must be thrown back
and left, and the sub.sol taken to fill up the
channel of the old stream after a straight Ca
nal mas been dug for the water. On this
plan trout can he raised in the canals by
keeping in screens, as there is never any
great rush of water but what can be easily
managed. Now, if all the proper conditions
are attended to, cranberries can be raised at
handsome profit at 81 per busbe, certain
ly at S5 per barrel, especially if raked.
Another advantage of low dams is in rak-
ing every berry is dislodged from the vines,
aud all the rake does not hold will float
down to the dam, and eau be SKINNED up
by putting in a board.-A. J. HindS,
Patchogue, Long Island, in Nao York
Times