184 THE CRANBERRY. 



and continue to "bear abundantly for an indefinite lengtli of time. 

 The fruit is much esteemed and in good demand, and when 

 properly handled, will keep fresh a twelvemonth and hear tran- 

 Bportation without injury. 



In selecting a location for a Cranberry plantation, it is highly 

 important to avoid those places where the water must be stag- 

 nant, — such soil is sodden and cold, and the roots will rot in it. 

 If it cannot be so drained that the water will be at least one foot 

 below the surface of the soil/ it is \xnfit for Cranberry culture. 

 Yet we have no confidence in an upland plantation. The Cran- 

 berry is a semi-aquatic plant, and requires a constant supply of 

 water, therefore, it is necessary to select a place which can be 

 abimdantly supplied. It is also very desirable in our climate 

 that it should be well sheltered from cold, raw winds, and if it 

 have a southern exposure so much the better. If it be possible 

 to secure a piece of ground that can be overflowed at pleasure, 

 having in reserve a sufiicient body of water higher up for this 

 purpose, it wiU be of great advantage. This may often be secured 

 by erecting two dams, one above the Cranberry beds and the 

 other below. By means of the upper dam a body of water may 

 be kept always at hand, which can be let on to the Cranberry 

 plants at pleasure ; and by means of the lower dam, with pro- 

 perly arranged gates, the water can be kept on the beds at any 

 desired level. In this way the plants can be protected from late 

 spring frosts that woidd kill the blossoms, or from very early 

 autumn frosts that would injure the fruit before it is fuUy ripe. 

 During winter the water should be kept so deep that it will not 

 be frozen through to the ground, and this may protect the plants 

 from too great a degree of cold. During the summer the water 

 should be drawn off to about one foot below the surface of the 

 beds, so that the roots may find moisture all summer, and yet 

 the soil above not be filled with stagnant water. Again, the 

 water should not be too cold. Some locations that are supplied 

 with water from springs in the adjacent bank are unsuitable, 

 because the water is very cold. This may sometimes be remedied 



