441 



BurliDgtoii Coiiuty,Xew Jersey, in company withtlieEev. J. H. Brakeley, 

 President of the New Jersey Cranberry Growers' Association. Mr. A. J. 

 Rider, secretary and general superintendent of the Cranberry Park 

 Company, aiid Messrs. E, W. Crane, of Caldwell ; C. G. Rockwood, of 

 Newark ; IST. R. French, of New York -, and Japhet Alston, of Pembertou, 

 all directly interested in cranberry-culture, and made a careful examina- 

 tion of the condition of the soil, the mode of cultivation, the roots of the 

 vines, their foliage and fruit, the construction of water-dams, ditches, 

 &c., at that place. 



The plantations of the company comprise about 130 acres of vines, the 

 greater part of which were set out in the year 1869. In 1871 there was 

 a light crop, partly rotted ; in 1872 half a crop, and nearly all rotted ; 

 in 1873 a full crop, and nearly all rotted, only 300 bushels of sound fruit 

 being picked out of a total crop estimated at 10,000 bushels. No fertil- 

 izers were used till the spring of 1873, when sand and plaster were applied 

 to the higher portions of the land, a small area being at the same time 

 treated with a coating of decomposed turf. No rain fell after these fer- 

 tilizers were applied until June 12, when rot began. The seasons of 1872 

 and 1873 were noted at this particular locality for protracted droughts 

 during June and July. 



In the fall of 1873, sixty acres were drained, by cutting ditches about 

 two rods apart, and a coating of sand was spread over the vines. The 

 outlets and feeding ditches were opened to give free circulation of water, 

 as well as thorough drainage. 



Where foliage was destroyed last year by the vine-worm, there was 

 very little fruit ; where plaster was applied, with a layer of sand over it, 

 the vines looked healthy and had new rootlets. 



Several other plantations in the same vicinity were examined, 

 including those of Mr. Miller and Mr. Rockwood. I visited Bricksburgh, 

 Ocean County, July 21, accompanied by Messrs. E. W. Crane, A. 

 J. Rider, Mr. Teller, 1. Foster, F. M. Todd, C. Holman, Dr. Merriman, 

 and the editor of the Times and Journal of Bricksburgh, and made an 

 examination of several cranberry plantations in this neighborhood, com- 

 mencing with that of Dr. Merriman, two miles southwest of the village. 

 We found the berries very thickly set on the vines where the blos- 

 soms had not all disappeared, but traces of the rot were discernible on 

 this plantation. I made a careful examination of the nature of the soil, 

 the roots of the vines, and the degree of acidity of the fruit from the 

 different portions of the bog. Where guano had been applied a marked 

 improvement of the foliage and roots was visible. In answer to an 

 inquiry made by me whether any of the growers present had given 

 attention to the condition of the soil and of the roots of the vines, a 

 unanimous answer w^as given in the negative. On the afternoon of this 

 day our company was increased by the arrival of Colonel Goodrich, of 

 Stockbridge, Mass., and the Rev. A. H. Dashiel, of Bricksburgh, both 

 of whom are interested in cranberry culture. We visited the planta- 

 tions of Mr. J. W. Campbell, the Rev. Isaac Todd, and Mr. Ferre, all 

 being connected and forming one continuous plain. This extensive 

 bog was formerly a mill-pond. The soil of such places is generally 

 found to be very favorable for cranberry cultivation, which proved to be 

 thecase in this instance. These three plantations have never failed to pro- 

 duce healthy crops. An examination of the soil proved that the peaty 

 matter of which it principally consists, was well decomposed. Our 

 attention was directed to one small portion of the pond where about 

 two years ago the berries rotted. I examined this place, by digging up 



