Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1881-07-28
FRUIT PROSPECTS.
CranberTies, &c. A Visit to the
Berlin Marshes.


numerous inquiries I learned that tht
Sacket marsh was the only one thai
had any prospect for a crop. Thi.
marsh is about four miles from Berlin
and through the kindness of Mr.
Fitch, Mr.. Sackets partner, | had the
pleasure of a ride out there, and with
him as a guide, tramped over what is
destined to be one Of the finest marsh
es in America. Mr.. Fitch is deeply
interested in it, and with plenty OF
E.capital, is bound to make it the finest
in the world. At present it has
many Disadvantages as well as advant-
ages. Its chef advantage seems to be
in its wonderful richness, it having
received for ages the washing of a
richer and more productive soil than
is usually found surrounding such
marshes and vast depth Of the same.
Last season they were very busy pull
ing sage and cleaning up generally and
did not flood the marsh until it had
frozen up and a vast amount of their
vines were winter killel. In the early
spring It must have looked more like a
field Of dead Pea vines than a cram
berry marsh Mr. T. said he did not
expect any crop in the spring and had
so reported. but the vines which had
been tread into the muck by the pick
ers, seemed to have lived through and
the marsh being very rich, they came
out and now promise good crop al
though it seems to be very late, they
being just fairly in bloom. They are
keeping the marsh wet plump to the
surface and owing to the presence of
some worms and thousands Of Millers,
the water was ordered to be raised.
Mr., T. said that last year they often
had the water two inches above the
surface without injury. The man who
lives on the marsh had fears that they
might scald the vines and blast the
blossom but Of that there was less dan
ger than from the worms, as the marsh
is covered with such vast amount Of
old vines and other rubbish that the
sun seldom shines on the water even
where it is two inches above the sur
face. The marsh has been neglected
for a long time and is very full Of sage
and willows. They are cleaning it out
by pulling and scalping, hiring Poland
er women at 60 cents per day Mr.
f. showed me sections Of the marsh
that they had burned over twice to
destroy the sage. The present water
supply is obtained from the natural
drainage Of other marshes and is not
reliable being wholly inadequate to
supply SO large marsh, except in wet
seasons and cannot be depended on in
a dry season for flooding in the Fall in
time to protect the vines. A man can
jump across the main ditch which sup
plies the water for thousand acres.
They have no inside bitches except a
few old ones long since filed with rub
bsh Mr. T. informed me that he
should not put in bitches until he had
a system of artificial water works so
he could fill them at any time. 1t is
their intention to put IN ditch at the
lower side Of their marsh and thence
&c the river about II mile distant and
draw the water from the river to the
foot of the marsh, then dig a canal
from there to the highest point Of the
marsh leading directly through the
main marsh and having its banks high
er than the marsh. they would pump
the water into this canal and use the
water at any point they saw they need,
ed it. Then and not till then would
they place inside bitches to dry the
marsh. He is satisfied that with pIen-
ty of water he can save the crop from
frost and can do much towards destroy
ing the worms. They began letting
the water off the Goth of 5fay and by
June 1st, had. it down to the surface.
After few days they again let on the
water and flooded it, this being done
to destroy insects which may have
Matched during the early sunshine.
They have ordered ffty-six truck
wheels of the latest pattern to handle
the crop with this fall and expect a
lively time.
Their cranberry house for storing is
80 feet long and three stories high,
from the top of which there is very
fine view of the marsh and surround
ing country. Dir. F. estimates that
to pull the sage on some portions off
the marsh by mems labor would cost
500 per acre. They have never pull
ed any piece the second time the vines
soon covering the surface Gives It little |