CRANBERRIES. 245 



MIDDLESEX. 



Statement of Addison Flint. 



In the autumn of 1843, I built a dam, and flowed the swamp 

 from that time till August, 1846 ; then let off the water. 



The following October, burnt over the swamp and set the 

 vines. The vines were cut up with a sharp hoe or shovel, and 

 set in hills, three and one-half feet apart ; the bunches about 

 the size of a quart measure. 



In raising from the seed, I planted in October, 1846, about 

 half an acre ; crushing each berry between the thumb and 

 finger, and placing it just under the mud ; single berries in a 

 hill, three and a half feet apart. Also, sowed broadcast a 

 number of bushels of refuse cranberries the following spring. 

 Very few vines appeared from them for two or three years ; no 

 berries till 1852, then very small; in 1853, good size, in quan- 

 tity, worth picking. 



My practice has been to stop the water in October, and keep 

 it on till May, or until the weather is warm enough to start 

 vegetation — then lower it down to the top of the vines, and 

 keep it on them until I think the spring frosts are over, then 

 let the vines be fairly out of water until the berries are grown, 

 — say from 10th to 15th August, — then draw it off for ripening 

 and picking. 



We found three or four small beds of native vines on the 

 swamp, after we let off the water to set the vines, and a few 

 very fine berries ; there is now probably a dozen beds that 

 bear berries. 



In 1850, we picked seventeen bushels of berries on the 

 swamp; in 1851, twenty-eight bushels; in 1852, ninety-three 

 bushels; in 1853, we estimated them at one hundred and fifty 

 bushels. 



In 1852, the native vines produced, by estimation, before 

 selling, forty bushels ; the transplanted vines, sixty bushels ; 

 the increase this year is, principally, from the transplanted 

 vines. 



North Reading, October 1, 1853, 



