CRANBERRIES. 117 



superior in color and size to the Russian berry of the same 

 name ; and the English fruit will not admit of being compared 

 with that of this country, because in all qualities by which the 

 perfect berry is known, the Oxy coccus Palusiris is remarkably 

 deficient. 



The American cranberry is divided by dealers and growers 

 into tliree great varieties. These are, 1. The bell cranberry ; 

 2. The bugle cranberry ; 3. Tlie cherry cranberry. 



1. Tlie Bell Cranberry. This variety is so called because 

 of the resemljlance it bears to a bell in its shape. It is the 

 largest, and as dark colored as blood coral. It is by practical 

 cultivators highly valued. 



2. The Biig'le Cranberry. This variety somewhat resembles 

 a bugle bead it its form, being elongated and approacliing an 

 oval in its shape. There are two sub-varieties, one large and 

 the other small, by some cultivators preferred. 



3. The Cherry Cranberry. So called from its similarity in 

 shape, size and color, to that well-known fruit. It is of two 

 kinds, the large and small. Some cultivators value this variety 

 more than any other. The vines on which these varieties grow 

 are found in tlieir natural condition around the mariiin of 

 swamps, and sometimes in the interior, on the tufts and eleva- 

 tions which are often to be met with in them. In their native 

 condition, neither the vine nor yet the berry attain that degree 

 of thriftiness, beauty and size, which they are seen to reach in 

 the yards of the Cape Cod cultivators. 



II. The Early Cultivation of the Cranberry Vine. Many 

 years ago the attention of an old citizen was called to the vine 

 which he found growing in a swamp which he owned. It 

 occurred to him that it might be cultivated, and accordingly 

 he attempted to aid nature in developing the cranberry. Those 

 efforts were attended with partial success. Others tried to do 

 something on a small scale, but soon became discouraged. 

 About fifteen years since the cultivation of the cranberry re- 

 ceived more attention than it had previously attracted. Some 

 individuals found the vine ilourishing on the margin of jjonds 

 or in the midst of swamps. Some discovered them abounding 

 on sand and others on peat. The various situations "in which 

 the vines were found led to various opinions ; one supposed 



