The Abbeville messenger. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1884-1887, 1885-11-10
MAKING CRANBERRY BOGS
How Swamps are Turned
!nto Sources Of Profit.
The Process of Preparation the Pick
ing and the Prices Received.

- $500 - 400 INV 4o S"N
money, and who has the other essen
tials for a cranberry bog. will mort
gage his farm to put in this source of
revenue. The first essential is a
swamp with a peat bottom. During
the winter the available wood is cut
off, and the smaller stumps are re-
moved, the larger ones being left for
the frost to throw out. During the
milder days the work goes on of re-
moving stumps, levelling, and filing
in with turf. After the larger stumps
have been removed, and the bog made
comparatively level, the bikes are
built. These are built at such dis
tances apart as to inclose three or -four
acres of bog. SO that the Enclosed space
can be readily overlooked by shutting
the sAiceways in the dixie. The bet
ter to carry off the water, bitches are
dug leading to principal ditch paral-
lei with the dixie. Then the bog must
be sanded to a depth of three or four
inches, being drained of water as much
as possible before sanding. The frost
usually throws the bog. In anticipa-
tion of this, the ice over the bog is
covered with sand during the winter,
especially if the bog has been planted
with vines the previous fall, so that in
the spring the ice melting distributes
the sand on the bog, thus saving cart
age.
The second essential to a bog is a
sand bank or hill near the swamp, sup
plying sand that must be free loan,
since loan brings in weeds. In the
spring or fall, when the bog is sanded,
1t may be planted. the intention being
to save as much time as possible. The
first year there is little trouble from
weeds, but the second and third sum-
mer after planting the vines it is nee
essary to weed thoroughly, and to
keep the water in the trenches low, so
as not to encourage the growth of
weeds. After the third year the vines
are strong enough and cover the bog
sufficiently to take care of themselves.
The vines are cut with scythes from
an existing bog, three OF four inches
deep. just below the sand.
The third year the bog is expected to
bear and to pay all expenses of con-
struction. During the second year it
may possibly pay interest on the mon
ey spent in making it. The year after
the third is usually the best bearing
year. after that the yield is about
equal. The greatest danger is from
frost. A continual watch has to be
kept after the first year, and the bog
has TO be "lowed" Immediately. Some
/. times a frost in June or last Of May
will injure the budding vines, thus de-
stroying a years crop. The next visi-
tation most feared is that of insects,
which ruin the berry and leave their
eggs for the next year. The remedy
is to burn and thus destroy the bog, or
the infected part of it, or to flood it.
Drought and forest fires are other dan
gers. When the bog is "howed" to
avert frost, there is a danger, if the
succeeding day is very warm and the
vines are bearing berries, that the heat
may ruin the fruit while it is exposed
wet to the sun. It is desirable to keep
the berries as long on the vines as pos
sible, as they turn dark when ~ripening.
and the darker the berry the higher
the price, other qualities being equal.
The picking is a picturesque sight,
the common costume for the women
being a calico dress and a un-bonnet
Tin shape the same as the Shakers
weary. They pick with their backs to
the sun, in rows divided by strings, to
insure "clean picking" each one being
kept in the prescribed place till the
vines are we'll picked. A cranberry
barrel is smaller than ordinary, 100
quarts to the barrel being the rule. but
they are tightly pressed and forced in,
30 that after shipping they are found
to be solid in the barrel. A dealer
will have nothing to do with a barrel
in which the berries shake. A good
price is SO per barrel. Sometimes it
is SIG. $17, or more. It .:pays'' at 81
per barrel, but good berries neve sell
as low as that. The cost Of making a
bog apart from the cost Of the swamp.
{. 4 - -I-.xL So