212 



THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 



CRANBERRIES. 



BY A. MC D. ALLAN, GODBRICH. 



Up and down throughout the Prov- 

 ince there are hundreds of acres of 

 swampy lands that at present are of 

 little or no practical value to the owners, 

 and yet possibly a large area of this 

 swampy land could be utilized for the 

 purpose of cultivating cranberries. 

 This subject stands prominently among 

 our neglected industries in this Prov- 

 ince, probably from the fact that so 

 little is known about the various points 

 of cultivation and care necessary in 

 order to secure a crop at once profitable 

 and regular. Consumers heretofore 

 have been satisfied with the supply 

 reaped yearly from wild beds in far 

 northerly sections, or imported from the 

 neighbouring republic. But now that 

 the demand is rapidly increasing, and 

 will certainly continue to increase, 

 those who have pieces of waste land 

 suitable for cranberry culture may 

 feel interested in a few particulars on 

 the subject. 



There appears to be several Varieties 

 of this fruit in European countries, and 

 in some of these countries the cran- 

 berry stands among the most reliable 

 and valuable crops for home market 

 and export. But although it is largely 

 grown throughout Europe, our Ameri- 

 can cranberry being lai-ger and of a 

 much better quality, finds a ready mar- 

 ket across the ocean at much higher 

 prices than the native . berry. By the 

 British market reports, I find that the 

 demand in that country for the Ameri- 

 can cranberry has rapidly increased 

 during the past few years, and prices 

 are steadily on the rise, the supply be- 

 ing short of the demand. 



The first requisite is to secure a piece 

 of land that can be flooded during the 

 winter season, but it must be so situated 

 that the water can easily be drawn ofi* 

 in spring when wanted. The plot 

 should be sufficiently underdrained or 



ditched to avoid holding water stagnant 

 near the surface, as this would induce 

 disease and the breeding of insect 

 enemies. 



In preparing the soil care should be 

 taken at the outset to have it free from 

 grass and weeds, although I have seen 

 plots along the sea coast in Maine where, 

 in the course of three or four years, the 

 vines made so close a matting that grass 

 was choked. But like other crops, so 

 in this it will pay to begin with clean 

 cultivation. The plot should be nearly 

 level, so that when flooding there will 

 be an even cover over the whole surface. 

 Lands with peat or muck bottoms are 

 usually considered best. If a regular 

 sod is formed, especially of the coare-e 

 strong-rooted swamp grass, it should be 

 removed at a season of the year when 

 the water is low, and in place of this 

 sod a complete cover of fine sand about 

 two inches in depth should be spread 

 over the entire plot. Clay bottom soils 

 should be avoided. Peat or decayed 

 vegetable soil, with a mixture of sand 

 will do, although, if at all possible it is 

 preferable to have a complete top cover 

 of pure sand. The winter is a good 

 time to apply the sand, as there is 

 usually more time for such work at that 

 season, and besides, the expense is gen- 

 erally less for hauling then. If there is 

 danger of grass or weetl roots in the 

 soil, the sand should be laitl four inches 

 deep over the surface, otherwise half 

 that quantity will be sufiicient. 



It is not necessary to obtain rooted 

 plants for setting out, as the cranberry 

 grows freely from cuttings. Some 

 growers make small cuttings, broadcast 

 them over the plot and roll or j)ress 

 them over the soil, while others advo- 

 cate planting in rows. If the soil is 

 clean, broadcasting tlie cuttings is })rob- 

 ably best, as the vines cover the surface 

 sooner and thus prevent the growth of 

 grass and weeds. When they are 

 planted in rows there is usually too 



