CRANBERRIES. 75 



ent parts of the meadow. Since then I have flowed it annually 

 about the first of November, and let the water off about the first 

 of May. 



The first summer after preparing the meadow as stated, vines 

 sprang up and grew considerably on the lowest parts of it. The 

 second summer the vines increased and grew rapidly. In the 

 fall of that year I gathered about a half bushel of cranberries. 

 In 1864 the vines blossomed full, and after the berries were set, 

 gave promise of a fine crop ; but an early frost, while they were 

 quite green, injured them so that I gathered but about a bushel. 



In 1865, the vines had increased in some spots on the 

 meadow, so that they had almost killed out the grass, and in 

 the fall, when the berries were ripe, they lay so thick that the 

 vines were scarcely visible. I gathered twenty bushels of cran- 

 berries, worth three and a half dollars per bushel. The expense 

 of gathering and marketing these berries was less than ten 

 dollars. This year there are but very few cranberries in this 

 section of country, though my vines are bearing better than I 

 have seen any others on fresh meadow. The crop is not yet 

 gathered, but your Committee can see it on the vines. 



The expense of draining this meadow was nothing. The peat 

 taken from the ditch paid the expense. It cost me but $5 to 

 flow it. This was done by a small flood-gate at the bridge. I 

 spread upon the ice in the winter of 1863, two loads of yellow 

 sand, which cost but $2.50, making the whole amount that it 

 has cost me to prepare the meadow, but $7.50. I would here 

 state that the vines on the spot upon which the sand was spread 

 were far more prolific last year than any other vines upon the 

 meadow. 



I have had experience in preparing several other pieces of 

 meadow in the same manner, for the cultivation of the cran- 

 berry, and in every case have been successful. I neither plant 

 vines nor sow the seed. Whenever any meadow adapted to the 

 cultivation of the cranberry is prepared in the manner that I 

 have prepared mine, vines will spring up and bear sponta- 

 neously. 



One thing more I will state. This meadow was owned by 

 my grandfather and then by my father, and from him I inherited 

 it — consequently I have known it from my earliest recollection, 

 and I do not think that in all that time a bushel of cranberries 



