184 BOAED OF AGRICULTURE. 



there, and we iu other parts of the State have others, where 

 we are exposed to danger from frosts. 



Mr. Davis of Martha's Vineyard. I was a little surprised, 

 Mr. Chairman, when I saw our honorable Secretary call 

 your attention to myself, because he must know that I know 

 little about the culture of the cranberry, although I come 

 from a district where it is one of the chief en ps. I can say 

 very little, and add nothing whatever to what has been said, 

 except that down on the Vineyard we use water for the cran- 

 berry as much as possible; but this year, especially, where 

 we have had plenty of water, the use of which heretofore has 

 been perfectly successful, this 3'ear it has amounted to noth- 

 ing whatever. Our bo«i:s were flowed in the fall ; the water 

 was kept on until about the tenth of April ; then it was 

 drawn ofi", and by the first of June the most of our people 

 saw some evidence of this vine worm, and flowed again, as 

 was customary, and with no success whatever; our crop was 

 almost an absolute failure. Those who have adopted, to a 

 certain extent, the use of a tobacco solution, were more suc- 

 cessful this year than those who adopted the use of water. 



Mr. Round. From your statement, I infer that they did 

 not regard the time when the water was drawn ofi" and let on 

 again as of any consequence, but simply watched for the ap- 

 pearance of the insect. Now, these larvt« will appear in 

 about so many days after the water is taken oft*, and if the 

 growers do not observe that, they are liable to lose their 

 crop, as a matter of course. 



Mr. Daa^s. That does not explain the difficulty. They 

 were not successful this year, and have been heretofore, with 

 the same treatment. 



Mr. Round. Let me ask whether the lecturer intends to 

 pursue his investigation? I really hope it will be done. I 

 do not know that the Board can do anything about it partic- 

 ularly, but it will be gratifying to those interested in the cul- 

 tivation of the cranberr}' to know that he intends to pursue 

 it. 



Secretary Russell. At the last meeting of the Board, 

 this matter was brous^ht before us and it was referred to the 

 Experiment Station. Mr. Round made the motion. It is 



