Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1905-04-27
UNIVERSITY INSTRUCTORS PUg.
LIsH RESULT OF RESEARCH.
IN AGRICULTURAL BULLETIN
A. r. Whitson, {. P. Sandsten, |. ?.
Haskins and Il. Ramsay Compile
ArtlcIe-Much Useful information
Given on Culture Of Strawberries
In Wisconsin.
Madison, April %.


issued by the university agricultural
experiment station The contents OF
the bulletin were compiled by A. X.
Whitson, professor in the department
of agricultural physics, E. ?. Sand
stem, professor of agriculture, L. ?.
Haskens and II. Ramsay. A part Of
me substance OF the article Is as fol
lows:
The cranberry is native to Wis
consin and is found growing in abund-
ance on many Of the marshes OF the
state. Indeed, up to ten years ago
practically all of this fruit harvested
in the state was gathered from these
wild marshes.
The great forest and marsh fires OF
1894 and 1895, however, burned on
large parts Of these cranberry
marshes and very greatly reduced the
Weld. I'D to that time very little was
done to control the conditions for
cranberry culture. Since then it has
become evident that successful cram
berry raising requires n full under.
standing and control OF these con
dttions, and the Agricultural Expert
mcnt station has been called on to aid
4 in the study Of these matters.
The legislature passed an act May
10th, 1903, approprating the sum or
/ 50 800 per year for two years, to aid
/ in the development of the cranberry
! industry of the state, and in carrying
on lines of investigation pertaininS
thereto. The work was placed under
/ the direction of the departments uf
agricultural physics and horticulture,
In addition to this, we have secured
aid from the general government and
the study of the use of water in cram
berry growing has been carried on by
the department of agricultural physics
in cooperation with the Office of eN
pertinent stations Of the department OF
agriculture,
After looking about for a suitable
tract of lana for cranberry growing
and experimental purposes, II was de-
cided to accept the offer Of the Wis
consin Cranberry Growers association
vi lJltlI - dllbh lOl IL llplllhtl NoAA
sideraion. and lease was executed
for a period of fifteen years, at the
option of the University of Wisconsin.
This station is located in the center OF
large, important cranberry growing
section about eleven miles southwest
of Grand Rapids, and four miles north
of Cranmoor, a station on the c., Nj.
/ a, ~ ~ ,ts.t. ~
about ten acres, small portion being
elevated somewhat above the general
! level of the marsh. Upon this eleya,
! ton twOroom cottage was erected,
| serving as an Office and room for the
attendants,
The Cranberry Growers association
had on this station some one hundred
and fifty so-caled varieties of Gran.
berries collected from different parts
of the world These and other Gran.
| berry vines were included in the deed.
Thus it will he seen that the univer,
sity was materially aided by having
large amount Of pioneer work started.
Due to the latonoss of the time at
! which the bill was passed. little
/ preliminary work could be done the
/ first year. 1t was necessary to get
/ the marsh into 4 suitable condition for
/ planting and experimental work. The
problem of adequate drainage ana
water supply had to be solved. Ditcs-
/ ing, scalping, sanding had to be done
preparatory u the investigational side
! Most Of this preparatory work was
finished at the beginning Of the pres
ont season.
The passing of cold waves with the
attending possibility of frost, is a
matter Of grave Importance to the
cranberry grower. In fact, so III
| furious are these cold waves ana
frosts in cranberry culture that the
one great aim of cranberry growers in
this state has been TO secure means or
protection against frosts and better
methods of forteilng them The I'M
portance of this matter can he better
! understood when II is known that on
the night of the Sth of August Of the
past summer a loss was sustained. by
a frost which came uneXpccedly, t.
the extent Of about 60 per cent OF the
entire crop. amounting in value 10
approximately S2O0,0OOoO
Protection From Frost.
There are many things in the prac.
teal operation of a cranberry marsh
which may be done to helr control
temperatures. We have seen abort
that, while the local conditions o. the
atmosphere have much to do with the
control of temperature by the ABSORB
ton of heat. that the earth is the
source from which this heat comes at
night and while we cannot control the
factors which effect absorption by the
air We can in a measure influence the
absorption and radiation by the soil,
1t Is evident that in order to secure
the most favorable conditions for
both absorption and radiation, 1t Is
necessary to keep the ground as free