118 MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 



tliat a somewhat dry location was suitable ; another, a damp 

 soil, or one that was constantly satnrated. And in reference to 

 Foils, it was said that sand was best, and then that peat was 

 snperior, and that loam was desirable. The variety of opinions 

 which existed at that time led to a variety of experiments ; 

 some were attended with success and others failed. 



But it is within the past ten years that the attention of agri- 

 culturists has most particularly been called to the cranberry 

 vine. And in that time more has been done on Cape Cod, to 

 study the nature of the vine, and what are its wants, and to 

 bring it to a state of perfection, than in any previous period. 

 And it is just to state that its cultivation in this region is now 

 so well understood, that individuals can soon determine the 

 location in which the vine will flourish. 



In the early days of cranberry culture men had to meet with 

 difficulties which arose from the want of experience and knowl- 

 edge. Now that both have Ueen obtained, it accounts for the 

 greater success which attends the efforts of practical men. 

 And in no region, either in this or any other country, is this so 

 well understood as on Cape Cod. 



Persons who undertake the culture of the cranberry, who 

 have not taken pains to collect information in reference to the 

 management of the vine, will meet with the same difficulties 

 which beset the early growers. But this need not be the case, 

 because the advantages of ripe experience can be had by seek- 

 ing it from the best and most reliable sources. And he who 

 can obtain this will avoid those obstacles and consequent fail- 

 ures which have been so common. 



III. Proper Locations for Cranberry Yards. At the pres- 

 ent time there is a difference of opinion existing as to whether 

 uplands can be made available for the economical cultivation of 

 the vine. Efforts have been made to naturalize the vine to 

 those situations,, and a degree of success has attended them. 

 There is this to be said of upland locations, that if there is an 

 absence of moisture from the soil in the summer season, the 

 vines cannot live. In uplands where any success has been met 

 with, we are convinced that there must be a good degree of 

 moisture, and that frequent stirring of the soil is called for, in 

 order to keep it so porous that it will freely admit the moisture 



