Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1892-10-11
Written fer Ne Osfsri Democrat.
CRAN0ERRv CULTURE.

The cultivation Of cranberr,es In Ox.
ford County might prove advantageous
Ia every farmer Who owns one ar more
acres 10 swamp land adapted to that
purpose. In this vicinity about s5 acre.
have becn r~cently converted to Gran.
berry field, now giving employment Ia
i:o hands picking the berries. About
four-hftbs are In hearing condition, and
viii yield nearly, u not fully, 2,u0o bar
rels, worth Q; In the Boston market. The
cost of fitting Tor market, 81 per barrel,
leaving ~ clear profit. Thus . single
acre of land gives the owner slo In
come. outside of all expenses. THIS sun
Il more than twice the amount usually
rralifed by the most thrifty Oxford
farmer from the same AREA of land.
was Informed by the owner of q Gran
berry bog In an adjoining town. that his
crop In the third year paid the cost of
construction. and that he WAS now get
ting ~ per cent on his Investment.
can see no reason Why cranberries
.hould not flourish Ia some of the rich
valleys % old Oxford ss well AZ among
seems the prudent farmer would hazard
no rlsk by investing a portion Of his
time and labor In this lucrative enter
prise. The Wild varieties nov greatly
improved by cultivation, fr~quently
flourish along the muddy margin of
ponds aud rivers, where the growth u
not lmpe,ici by grass, weeds and bushes,
bat to succc-.i In the business . suitable
piece of land must be selected, prepared
With care, and the crop attended to a.
faithfully ss Il ne,essary To raise . crop
10 corn.
Much % the low land bordering the
ponds In fryeburg aud lowell cannot
we'll BE- utilized Tor the purpo-e, on ac-
count u the difficulty of drainage. In
mi. ylcinlty. where Acrsnberry Held can
~ made on the margin of pond ar
river, and elevated enough to Insure q
rapid drainage, they are now artiicially
Submerged by q motive power aud
hydraulic apparatus capable Of raising ~
gallons of water In each second of time,
and can overflow : or 10 acres In less
than .o many hours. ! personally ex-
.Inlnc,i thi. machinery In place, aud
was informed it, co.t Was something
more than stOO.
Ou the .uppo.ition that crsnherries
viii fou'i.h In Maine as well s Ia
Massachusetts,, aud of the same market
value, u bccomes apparent that the
Oxford farmer, under favorable circum-
.tances, could rcalise az much profit
from one acre of cranbcrrics, as from -
to ~ acre. of moving land. This esti-
mate may L. considered entrs'agsni,
but hgurc- properly arranged "cant lie.
The most favorable place Tor cran-
terry b.d .. peat or muck bog con-
taining q foot or more of alluSal soil,
80 situated that Il can bc easily o,.rnos-
cd through the winter aud spring
months. long enough 20 protest IN.
vine. from an early fro.t. \ ditch
should be made around th. entire plot,
which, II necessary, should be inter.eci.
cd by other diichc. Tor the purpose of
draining OF ia. surface waters.
when the land has become sufficiently
dry, clear of all trees, los., brush or
any other obstruction, then the surface
.hould be made a. level as practicable,
az every portion can be morr easily COW
cred by water when needed. Another
indispensable material l. q cosr.e sand,
IRE. from clay or loam, spread over the
.oll from to inches deep. This i.
then marked Oh by line. at right angle.
II inche. or ? feet apart. ~ every in-
t.r.ection q hole |. made ani plants
Inserted. which .oOn take root, aud In
the third year amply repay the owner
tor all his toll.
IN. cost In preparing land for tn.
purpose L. yariOusly estimated from sl"
Ia $50 p.r acre. Where the bog is
covered With a dense for-st Of ccdar,
and the ground fillcd With huge stump.
embc,ideSi la the .oll Tor q century, az
frequently found In plymouth County,
II costs ti,c times a. much Ia remove the
obstruction. q. IL will Ia prepare the
sam. ARA In favorable condition Tor
the rcccption of plants.
Thef. Ar, hundreds ~ cranberry Held.
Ia the south eastern part of Massachu-
..tis, chiefly owned by wealthy mei or
rich corporations, a. !. the case In al
most all profitable Industries through
out the country.
The foregoing estimate IL based upon
IN. supposition % q good yield and An
average price. Hut u We reduce the
INCOME one-half, then Il would be to the
Interest of the farmer, having q suitable
plec. of land, to omit some less valuable
crop aud spend a portion OF his time anu
labor In a more profitable Industry.
FARNsR rRoa ON oNfoRp.
Pembroke, Mass, september, lsyi.