446 



the vines were dying wbere the buckets containing the gnano had been 

 placed. Mr. Gowdy thought that he shouhl pick 1,000 bushels tliis year 

 where he obtained only 193 last year. Several members stated that the 

 application of plaster, phosphates, guano, and lime has proved to be of 

 great value in increasing the growth of new roots and vines, but that it 

 is conceded by all intelligent cranberry-growers that an application of 

 sand every four years to the extent of at least one inch in depth is 

 much better. The object of sanding should not be misunderstood. It 

 is simply to increase the growth of rootlets, branches, and leaves. It, 

 therefore, increases the necessity for the application of available plants 

 food, which should be experimentally and intelligently applied. 



It has been shown by an analysis made in the laboratory of this 

 Department (see page 125 monthly report for February and March, 1875) 

 that the cranberry contains insoluble silicates, lime, magnesia, perox- 

 ide of iron, phosphoric and sulphuric acids, chlorine, potassa, and soda. 

 The new roots absorb these substances from the earth and the leaves 

 elaborate them into the proper food for the growth of the berries. 



Since making my investigations on the cranberry plantations of New 

 Jersey and Cape Cod, I am convinced that the scald and rot, so called, 

 of the berry may arise from dissimilar causes, although chemically con- 

 sidered they are practically the same, viz, the conversion ot their 

 starch into grape-sugar, a fermentable substance forming a nidus for 

 the growth of fungi. All fruits have a tendency to decay more or less 

 while growing under unfavorable conditions, not only before but after 

 they are considerably advanced in size, and especially while they contain 

 their minimum of starch. In this condition, particularly during rainy 

 seasons, the fruit contains its greatest percentage of gum, organic acids, 

 and water. The fruit, under these conditions and high temperature, 

 frequently ferments or rots. In such cases I have always been able to 

 detect the mycelium of fungi within the berries. In the early stages of 

 the rot the mycelium appears first on the inner surface of the skin. 

 When a portion of the rotting pulp is viewed under a power of about 

 300 diameters its many ramifications are easily seen. 1 have frequently 

 shown this fact to the cranberry-growers by the use of the microscope. 



At the request of this Department, Mr. A. J. Rider, secretary of the 

 association, in August last forwarded sixteen samples of peaty matter 

 taken from healthy and unhealthy cranberry -plantations of New Jersey. 

 One-half of the samples consisted of sub-soil ; the others of top-soil. 

 Twelve were from the unhealthy and four from the healthy bogs. Solu- 

 tions of all were made in pure water, and allowed to remain in a room 

 at a temperature of about 75° Fahrenheit for twelve days to settle and 

 give tiuie for fermentation, the object being to ascertain the presence of 

 albuminoids in the solution, or solids present. The healthy specimens 

 were taken from the bogs of the Rev. Isaac Todd and Mr. Newman, 

 whose plantations are noted for their healthy condition, and on which 

 rot has not been knowu for the last ten years. These gave perfectly 

 pure solutions. The peaty matters of these bogs are composed chiefly 

 of small twigs and leaves, and are well rotted. Their solutions are 

 colorless, and no infusorial or fungous scum appears on their surface. 

 A specimen solution of Mr. Todd's peat has been in my possession over 

 twelve months. It contains about half a i^ound of peat to a pint of 

 water, but has given no indications of mold on its surface during all this 

 period, while a solution of peat from an unhealthy bog standing by the 

 side of it during the same time remained highly colored, and a thick 

 scum appeared on its surface. This scum was comi)osed of infusorial 

 and fungous mycelium" and spores. The twelve solutions from the un- 



