Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1885-10-15
CRANBERRIEs.


i
ago, no storekeeper could be induced to
give him credit, SO poor was he in this
worlds goods. John Webb could now
buy out the whole town if he so desired.
This is because he had great head. In
the course Of human events he became
the possessor of piece of low swampy
land, in which the cranberry vine and
the garter snake fiourished. aud between
gathering the ruddy fruit and bruising
the serpents heads Webb had time
enough to observe that where the rains
had washed down sand upon the old peat
bottom. there the vines grew longer and
the berries clustered thicker and larger
than on the bare s'muck, " as it is termed.
1t was this unpretentious discovery that
subsequently filed John Webb's Golfers
with bright round dollars and caused his
lame to be household word among
cranberry growers from the marshes Of
Massachusetts, to the swamps of Wiscon-
sin. John Webb with commendable al
acrity made the most OF his observations,
and soon had constructed the first cult
yated cranberry bog ever known.
Until John Webb's innovation, in 1857,
cranberries grew on long vines which
trailed oyer the ground only in wet
swamps and morasses, and SC scarce were
they, and consequently expensive, that
they only graced the tables of the
wealthy. To-day SO many are raised
that they are within the reach of every
housekeeper, and in support Of this
statement is the fact that during the five
years past their consumption in this
country has increased 500 per cent. The
cranberry bog of fto-day is low, broad
plain of emerald hue, divided neatly into
beds by bitches. To construct bog it
is necessary to raze swamp which has
deep peat bottom. After the ground is
cleared Of stumps and made level, bitches
are dug and beds are laid out. Sand, to
q depth of three or four inches, is then
spread over the peat and the bog is
ready for planting. Sprigs Of the long
green vines are taken from the swamps,
imbedded in holes made with stick in
the sand, and the soil is pushed in tight
ly about them. Then the vines, if they
are well planted and enterprising, begin
life seems to be to reach over all crea-
tion and hide the earth from sight.
Perhaps in their travels the vines are
anticipated in their laudable desire to
possess the earth by what is called
"three-square grass" and rushes. The
former is the most persistent and aggra-
waiting grass which ever nodded famil-
iarly to the sun, while the latter ac
quired such reputation about Moses's
time that the writer dislikes to speak
disparagingly of them. But the "three-
square" and rushes are up early and at
it and BY the time the cranberry vine
gets around it finds no opening fer an
enterprisiug young shoot.
The expense Of extricating grass and
rushes from the bog has by the end of
the second year increased its cost from,
say, $500 an acre to 5000. All well regu-
lated cranberry bogs slumber for seven
months out of the twelve under water in
order to escape the winters frosts. In
order to flood q bog two things are es-
sential-a never-failing stream of water
and substantial dam. No bog can bo
successful without them. The cranberry
lands hereabout are submerged annually
about November 1, and while they idly
lie beneath six feet of water big and lit
tie Americans from one end Of the land
to the other are looking upon the cram
berry sauce when it is red. In the mean
time the vines are arranging things for
the next season, and when the water is
drawn from the bog about the middle of
May they lose no time lying around and
drying in the sun, but set to work turn
ing out another crop, and anything else
that can beat the cranberry in turning out
crop has to get up and hump itself.
Any cranberry bog with fair conditions
should yield 100 bushels Of berries to
the acre, which will net anywhere from
$100 to $200. 1t is estimated that as
rule cranberry cultivation pays about
twenty-five per cent. per year on the
money invested.
In New Jersey there are about 5000
acres of cranberry bog. Last year the
crop was worth about 1875, 900. 1t is
estimated by the statistician of the New
Jersey Cranberry Growers association
that the yield in this State this year WI
reach 157, 900 bushels, while New Eng
land will probably turn out 225, 900
bushels; Wisconsin, $50, 600 bushels, and
other States, 10, 600 bushels Of berries,
makinga grand total for the country OF
$50, 900 bushels of cranberries. These
figures may be little too high, but it
gives better idea of how fond Ameri-
cans are of the ruddy little berry than
could be learned in the perusal Of a half
column Of newspaper talk. Our friend
John Bull has developed fondness for
cranberries, and as result devours much
Of the American fruit with his holiday
goose.
Harvesting the cranberry crop usually
furnishes employment to perhaps $500
or A, 900 persons in this State. Cranber-
ries, to the growers great regret, must
be picked by hand Machines have
been invented which were intended for
picking them, but when put to the test
they have achieved no greater success