August, 1916. 



THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST 



191 



Cranberry Culture in Nova Scotia 



A. J. Campbell, Halifax, N. a. 



THE culture of cranberries began 

 about twenty-five years ago in 

 Nova Scotia. Cranberries have 

 always grown wild here, and when it 

 V as found that the removal of weeds 



d grass made the vines more vigor- 

 mis and enlarged the yield the owners 

 of cranberry bogs were encouraged to 

 cultivate the berry. In the course of 

 time a regular industry in cranberry 

 growing was established throughout 

 the Province, but it was in Kings 

 county that most progress in planting 

 and production occurred. 



Among the growers at Auburn, 

 Kings county, is Mr. H. S. Bishop, who 

 is considered to-day an authority on 

 I everything pertaining to cranberry 

 growing. "Many pai'ts of Canada," 

 said he, "abound in tracts of land 

 varying in area which are now consid- 

 ered as waste, but which may be made 

 among the most profitable parts of the 

 farm. Wet peaty soils, of little use for 

 other purposes, are eminently suitable 

 for the culture of cranberries, and the 

 expense of preparing ajid planting is 

 not excessive when the length of life of 

 tlie bed is considered. 



"The proper soil for the culture of 

 this berry is a peaty alluvial soil. A 

 peat bog, if not too deep, or any black 

 land on which wild bog cranberries 

 now grow will present a suitable home 

 for the cultivated berry. Beds are 

 sometimes made on an ordinary very 

 sandy loam, but such soil requires the 

 annual application of commercial fer- 

 tilizer, which is not required on black 

 soil. Moreover, ordinary soil runs more 

 to weeds than a peat soil does. A wet 

 soil with the water just below the sur-- 

 face should be selected. If land of this 

 character is ditched and drained until 

 the water recedes to within twelve 

 inches of the surface the results will be 

 satisfactory. 



"The first operation in preparing a 

 bed is to strip the sod or turf from the 

 surface sufficiently deep to prevent the 

 growth of bushes, grass or weeds from 

 the roots. This is generally a difficult 

 job, as the ground is often too soft to 

 hold a horse and is apt to contain many 

 sticks and logs with which it is hard to 

 deal except by hand. After the ground 

 is cleared and levelled it should be cov- 

 ered to a depth of three and one-half 

 inches, with sand free from loam or 

 weeds. A coarse sand in which is some 

 gravel will be suitable. Many shallow 

 peat bogs have a deposit of sand un- 

 derneath, and where this is the case the 

 sand can be conveniently and cheaply 

 obtained from the bottom of_ the 

 ditches. After the sand is spread the 

 rows should be marked out eighteen 



inches apart. This may be done by 

 drawing over the bed an instrument 

 made like a hand sled with two or more 

 runners the proper distance apart. 



"In starting a bed, not only is it de- 

 sirable to get a variety of good quality 

 and appearance, but they also should be 

 prolific yielders. There is as much dif- 

 ference in the yield and quality of cran- 

 berries as of apples. Some of the wild 

 varieties are good. Many of the best 

 berries grown in Nova Scotia are native 

 varieties. For planting cut vines are 

 used, being the upright parts of the 

 vine mowed from a bearing bed. These 

 may be obtained from some reliable 

 dealer who makes a business of sup- 

 plying them. Vines for planting are 

 from six to eight inches long, and are 

 put vip in sacks or barrels, about eight 

 barrels being necessary for planting an 

 acre. The process of planting is very 

 simnle. One worker drops the cuttinars 

 in the marked rows about fifteen inches 

 apart. Another Avorker follows and 

 presses a pai't of the cutting into the 

 soil with a forked stick. The firming 

 of the sand about the cutting with the 

 foot completes the operation. 



"In the after treatment of the bed 

 weeding is the most important opera- 

 tion. This will not be difficult, how- 

 ever, if the ground has been well strip- 

 ped and clean sand has been used. It 

 is vitally important to keep down any 

 weeds that show in order to give the 

 vines a chance. If this is faithfullv 



A measuring point for the miles by a Huron 

 County roadway, near Goderich. Ont. 



done for three years the vines will take 

 charge and completely cover the 

 ground by the foui-th year, thus reduc- 

 ing the task of weeding practically to 

 the vanishing point. By this time also 

 the bed will be yielding profitable 

 crops. No cultivation is required, and, 

 in fact, it is desirable in weeding to 

 mix the sand Avith the soil as little as 

 possible. If properly brought to this 

 point the bed is in shape for many 



A cranberry plantatii.n at .Xubuni, Kings Co., Muva Scotia. 



