124 STATE POMOI.OGICAI, SOCIETY. 



and bushes are taken off and the beds made perfectly level, after 

 this the whole surface has to be sanded from three to four inches 

 deep. Xow we are ready to put out the plants which we are 

 very jDarticular in selecting. The larger portion we shall use 

 are those raised on the bog known as the Wellman cherry cran- 

 berry, although we have some early blacks which mature earHer 

 and are ready for market about two weeks earlier than the 

 others. They do not keep as well, and bring a less price in the 

 market. We use cuttings for setting out a new bog, using the 

 sprouts from 12 to 15 inches long of good vigorous plants, plac- 

 ing them in rows 18 inches wide, about 10 inches apart. It takes 

 about three years to get a bog to bearing, but once properly made 

 it is good for many years. 



Harvesting the crop begins about the loth of September, and 

 takes from 10 to 15 days. We use pickers secured from the 

 maker on Cape Cod and like them very much. This can be done 

 on old established vines but new vines have to be picked by hand 

 as the pickers would do more or less damage to the roots. 

 The berries are put into ventilated crates made of slats and 

 placed in a house built for the purpose. These crates are packed 

 in so there is a circulation of air around them all the time. 

 When we are ready to ship them they are run through a sepa- 

 rator which takes out all of the dirt and many of the poor 

 berries. After this they go over a sorting table and any that 

 are not perfect taken out by hand. 



I don't want to give the impression that this is all that has 

 got to be done to make the growing of cranberries a success, for 

 many nights without sleep is the lot of the man looking after a 

 bog. A frost in June may destroy a large portion of the crop, 

 and the early frosts in the fall are sure to do damage unless 

 someone is there to watch and be ready to turn on the water 

 when the thermometer goes to freezing. Besides this there are 

 insects of various kinds that destroy the berries and vines so 

 it requires constant care and attention to successfully grow cran- 

 berries in Maine at least. But I am satisfied that under proper 

 conditions that this crop can be grown profitably. 



