/ 
78) ANNUAL REPORT. 
These vines made considerable growth the first season, and had a few 
berries on them, Last season some of the runners grew nearly three feet. 
The grass has grown considerably on this plat. Early last summer, the 
grass was carefully pulled out of three square rods of the ground to ascer- 
tain whether the vines would do any better without the grass. It was 
found, however, that the best growth was obtained where the grass was 
not pulled. The vines seem to require the shade that grass gives them, 
These vines were all set early in the spring, as early as the frost would 
permit. A few vines set the 16th day of June, and the date carefully noted 
by me, grew, but never have made such fine growth as the early set vines, 
Still another piece of ground was set out, and sand spread on to the depth 
of three or four inches. The vines look well. 
It will require considerable time to determine the best mode of culture, 
but from careful observation of peat lands that have been drained in this 
’ vicinity, I should say care must be taken not to drain the peat dry enough 
to cause it to rot, as then it becomes good grass land, and the grass makes 
such rank growth as to choke the vines. The vines do not thrive where 
water stands on them through the growing season. Flowing the vines pre- 
vented the ravages of the cranberry worm the past season. The flowing of 
the marsh in the spring brought many berries to the surface which the wind 
and waves washed in all directions, From a careful experiment with the 
seeds of some of these berries planted, we obtained in one season from 14 
to 2 inches growth of vine. We found not ten rods from where the original 
vines grew, three distinct varieties of berries, which evidently must be 
seedlings; one a very dark colored berry—almost black, and ripe about two 
weeks sooner than the most of the crop; the vines in many places have 
almost entirely occupied the ground, and look as near perfection as one 
could imagine. The thorough system of drainage, enabled the fruit to be 
gathered immediately after heavy rains, the berries were much larger than 
ever before, and they would command one dollar per bushel more than any 
berries I saw in the St. Paul market, last fall. The vines set two years have 
not had time to develop yet. I hope in the future to be able to report great 
success in this branch of industry. Calvin Russell deserves much credit for 
the experiments detailed above. The prospects of success in this enter- 
prise look to me very encouraging. 
SeTH H. KENNEY. 
DISCUSSION. 
Importance of Cranberries. 
Pres. Smith. This is an important subject. The fruit can be 
kept the year round, shipped to all parts of the world and is 
healthful; hence its importance. I consider it one of our most 
important fruits. I have kept it from one season till the following 
October in a cool cellar. Few fruits keep like this. Several years 
