104 CRANBERRY CULTURE. 



almost full possGvSsion of all the cranberry yards on tlie 

 Cape. After trying various experiments, such as sprink- 

 ling over the vines with ashes, lime, pepper, tobacco, and 

 several other articles with no good results, the growers 

 became very much discouraged, and began to feel like 

 giving up the business as a failure; but, in the spring of 

 1857, T concluded to try the experiment of keeping the 

 water on or over the vines later than usual, and did not 

 let it off until the 4th of June, and flooded and let ofl* 

 again three times up to the 20th of June, letting the water 

 stay on each time from twenty-four to forty-eight hours; 

 the result was the vines weie undisturbed by the vine 

 worm. They put out well for a crop, and, after quite a 

 portion of the fruit Avas eaten by the fruit Avorm, I har- 

 vested about 110 barrels. Those repeated floodings, in 

 this case, were to make sure work of it. I don't find it 

 actually necessary to flood moi-e than once Avhere the 

 water cnn be kept on until it is warm enough to destroy 

 the ogii; of the vine worm, which is deposited on the under 

 side of the A'ine leaf I find thnt the insect takes no note 

 of the month, or day of the month, in making its appear- 

 ance, but is governed entirely by the temperature of the 

 air or water. In a forward spring, in a warm, sheltered 

 location, the water may be let ofl' earliei- than in those 

 locations more exposed to the wind, or Avhere the water 

 is supplied from cold springs. 



Where Ave have the means of flowing at pleasure, I 

 think it as Avell to flow soon after picking time, and let 

 the water off" after the hard frosts — here, in Massachusetts, 

 about the r20th, or last of ]\Iay. The gieatest difliculty I 

 haA'e to contend Avith now is an overgrowth of vines. I 

 have tried several methods to o\ ercome this trouble, but 

 the only one that seems to promise any favorable results, 

 is putting on, or among the vines, some two or three 

 inches more of sand ; the best Avay, I find, is to spread it 

 ou the ice Avheu the vines arc flow^ed in the Aviuter. The 



