The Jersey City news., 1891-10-13
LOTS OF CRANBLRRIES.
Biggest Crop in the State for Great
Many Years.

Biggest Crop in the State for a Great
Many Years.
Special to the Jerseu City News
MAYS LANDING, Oct. 13, 1891. The cram
berry crop in New Jersey which is now
being harvested will be the largest
gathered for years. While all over the
country there is a marked decrease in the
crop as compared with last year, New
Jersey will come to the rescue with an
increase of at least 10l, 900 bushels over
last years crops. Tine entire yield in this
State is estimated at $4,000 bushels. Ow-
ing to heavy frosts last May, which did
great damage to cranberry plants, the
crops in the East, West and New Eng
land will show decrease OF several thou
sand bushels below last years crops.
The berries that are now being picked in
New Jersey are first-class in every par
ticular. After the Cape Cod berries the
Jersey Reds are the finest in the country
and command the highest prices.
The largest cranberry-growingc counties
in this State are Ocean, Monmouth and
Atlantic. In Ocean there are situated the
largest bogs in the country, and from that
county comes the largest part of the crop
gathered in the State. In Ocean and
Monmouth counties the yield will be
nearly $4,000 bushels. Atlantic county
will have an unusually heavy crop. and it
is estimated that not less than 10000 BUSH
els will be gathered.
The low lands of Atlantic county are
well adapted to cranberry growing. The
frosts last spriug, which created SAD hav-
oc with the crop in New England and all
through the West, did little or no dam
age to the Atlantic county bogs.
About two years ago an English syn
dicate purchased 25. 900 acres of bog land
near Mt. Holly for the purpose of setting 1t
out in cranberries and growing them on a
In onnl q
ing. but will not be completed for years.
There is an immense profit in cranberry
raising. To plant a bog and equip IL in u
first-class manner costs $400 an acre.
The plants are gathered in swamps and
marshes, where they grow wild and are
replanted on the cultivated bogs, where
they do not bear fruit for five years.
Oftentimes the first bearing year pays the
entire cost of the outlay, and there
after the crop is clear profit. The finest
equipped cranberry bog in South Jersey
is that of Lucien b. Corson, which is Sit
uated near a small stream four miles
from Mays Landing. The bog contain 8
several hundred acres and has a drainage
and flood system. The floodgates are so
arranged that the land can be Hooded at
a moments notice and entirely covered
with water. The bog has now been plant
ed but three years and the success OF the
new system cannot yet be determined.
The picking of the berries has been GO
ing on at a rapid rate for nearly six
weeks, and is now nearly finished. This
work is done by italians, who early in
the fall arrive in the cranberry districts
by the hundreds. They are paid fifty
cents a bushel, and live on the bogs in
little huts and shantes erected for their
use. The picking can be carried on put a
few hours each day owing to the dew
which is on. the berries in the morning.
and which settles over the bog early in
the afternoon. When picked the berries
are placed in machines which separate