134 AGRICULTURAL REPORT. 



the work to be done is always economically expended. All that is to be done, 

 nnd how it is to be done, tfhould be known before work is commenced. In 

 many bogs it wonld be economical to employ an experienced engineer, and 

 liave marked stakes put up, profiles and working plans drawn. With such 

 marked stakes and drawings, the workman knows v»hen he has filled his bar- 

 row, where he is to tip the contents. There will be no mistakes, no alterations 

 to be made, and in the end money will be saved. 



The depth of sand required to be spread on the surface depends upon the 

 depth of the peat. If the latter is only a foot or two in thickness, five inches 

 of sand is considered sufiicient; if it is several feet, at least a foot of sand is 

 required to make a good bog. The, more sand there is used, the longer it re- 

 quires to bring the viues into a bearing state ; but when brought into that 

 state tfiey continue to bear for many years. 



At Sandy Neck, on the north side of Barnstable harbor, the cranberry has 

 grown in natural bogs for hundreds of j'ears. The soil of these bogs is beach- 

 sand, with a small mixture of peaty and vegetable matter. They prove that 

 a large admixture of peat or mud is not essential to the growth of productive 

 vines. Some experiments, however, have been made, showing that their pro- 

 ductiveness is increased by spreading over them peat or marsh mud. Some 

 of these bogs arc covered with water in the winter and some are not ; but in 

 all of them Avater can be usually found in the dryest weather within about a 

 foot of the surface. A few bogs have been formed there by dyking in salt and 

 fresh meadows and covering them with sand. These have proved to be very 

 productive. 



PREPARATIOX OF SOIL. 



At Provincetown, where the soil is very similar to that at Sandy Neck, the 

 experiments have not been uniformly successful. A difficulty occurs there in 

 obtaining a proper grade. In the welis of that village the water rises and falls 

 with the tide. Further inland the same cause operate^ to a limited extent. 

 During a course of high, tides the water in the low lands, Avhere the cranberry 

 \ines are set, often rises so high as to injure the crop ; and during a course of 

 low tides, if dry weather happens at that time, the vines suffer from drought. 

 In situations not thus afi'ected the cranberry is very productive. In the 

 swamps, where the mud is deep, the cultivators are troubled with wild 

 grasses and rushes, and for that reason sandy bottoms are preferred. It is 

 also found by numerous experiments that very little peat is absolutely essen- 

 tial to secure a crop. The best and most productive vines are usually found 

 on the edges of the bogs, where the sand was removed to the depth of several 

 feet in grading. In such situations there is no peat or mud, but the water 

 contains sufficient material in' solution to promote the growth of the plants. 

 In such situations guano and other fertilizers have a good effect. 



TIME AND MANNER OF SETTING. 



The spring of the year is usually considered the most favorable season for 

 setting. The cranberry vine, however, is very tenacious of life, and will grow 

 if set at almost any season. The usual course is to punch holes in the ground 

 about eighteen inches apart each Avay, and insert therein two or three viues, 

 and afterwards press the soil around them. Dr. Shove, who has had large ex- 

 perience, sets the vines in sliallow furrows made with a common iron cultivator 

 tie lays the vines down in the furrows and covers them, leaving out the en 

 of the vines. 



INSECTS. 



The habits of the insects that are injurious to the growth of the cranberry 

 have not been carefully studied^ and suilicient information has not been collected 

 to enable me to speak with confidence on the subject. There are two worms, 



