NATURAL HISTORY. 17 



There are two remedies for an over-abundant growth of 

 vine ; viz., sand and water, of which we will speak more 

 fully hereafter. 



Another cause of unfruitfulness may be the extreme 

 poverty of the soil. Sand is sometimes so deficient in 

 vegetable matter as to produce little or no vine, and 

 when this is the case, much fruit cannot be expected. 



As before stated, the Cranberry grows naturally on 

 moist bottoms ; and soils of this character are the only 

 ones upon which it can be cultivated profitably, although 

 designing nurserymen have asserted to the contrary, with 

 the view of disposing of their plants. By way of illus- 

 tration we give the following, taken from the catalogue 

 of an old established nursery: 



'' The True Cape Cod variety^ now oflfered, is by far 

 the best in cultivation, and succeeds best in uplands. 

 There are several sorts in the market, known as the 

 " Bell," the " Cherry," and many other fancy names, 

 which do not comj)are with this, in real, practical value. 

 Plants, packed with great care. |2 per 100, $10 per 1,000." 

 To complete the deception, they quote a writer in the 

 Maine Farmer, w^ho says : " My crop, grown on loam, in 

 1863, was at the rate of 453 bushels per acre." Other 

 statements are also made in the catalogue, which are cal- 

 culated to mislead the unsuspecting or ignorant, and in- 

 duce them to pay enormous prices for plants which will 

 be of little or no advantage to them, if planted in the 

 manner recommended ; viz., "on upland," and " on loam." 

 The policy of their assertions is evident ; small fruits, for 

 one's own family, are generally grown in the garden, upon 

 selected upland, and every one owning such a spot would 

 naturally desire to have this valuable fruit among his 

 collection. 



But comparatively few possess ground adapted to cran- 

 berries, hence imprincipled dealers recommend a system 



