LETTERS FROM PRACTICAL GROWERS. Ill 



A good, rich muck, entirely free from loam or clay ; 

 pure, clean, white sand; good water; and first, last, and 

 all tlie time, drainage, drainage, thorough drainage. I 

 sometimes think tliat you can almost produce any effect 

 upon a cranberry bog by proper drainage. 



There are many other points to be attended to, the 

 chief of which is the vines. The habits of the vines differ 

 greatly. Some appear to grow like trees, throwing out 

 uprights from uprights, never taking new roots, but 

 yearly increasing the size of the main stems, or runners. 

 Others show a stronger disposition to form new roots, and 

 seem to drop the old uprights, as new ones grow directly 

 from tlie runners. These are more uniform in their yield, 

 while the former produce larger crops ; but I believe will 

 not live longer than about twelve years without resanding 

 or pressing into the earth. 



I am, very respectfully, 



S. H. Shreve. 



Pemherton, N. J., March 21th, 1870. 



Dear Sir : — I received yours of late date a few days ago, 

 wishing me to give you my experience in tlie cultivation 

 of cranberries, which, I have no doubt, is similar to the 

 experience of other growers whom you have consulted. 

 I have been in the business of growing cranberries for 

 about twelve years ; and, while all the ground that I have 

 planted has paid well on the investment, some has not 

 succeeded to my expectations, while other has succeeded 

 far above them. 



At the time I commenced to cultivate the cranberry, 

 it was a new business in this neighborhood. I had to 

 gain knowledge by experience, which is by far the best 

 way to acquire it. 



The articles that were written then on the culture of 

 cranberries were detrimental to their growth, an<l calcu- 



