THE CRANBERRY. 185 



by cutting a ditch along the border, and draining off the cold, icy 

 spring water, or gathering it into a reservoir, where it will be 

 warmed by the sun and air before it reaches the plantation. 



The soil must not be too rich. The vines may grow ia good 

 alluvial sods, and seem very flourishing, but they will not bear 

 fruit. Clay and marl are wholly unsuitable, and heavy soils 

 in general are not adapted to the growth of this plant. Air, 

 water, and pure sand form its food, and where these can be had 

 in suitable combination it will thrive best. Cranberry cultiva- 

 tors say that the best soil is heach sand. This is the sod of the 

 celebrated Cape Cod Cranberry plantations, either naturally or 

 suppKed artificially. The sand is light and porous, admitting 

 air and moisture freely to the roots of the vines, while weeds 

 and grasses, which would choke them, can not grow in it. 

 "Where beach sand can not be had, any clean sand — ^the more 

 free from all mixture of vegetable matter the better — ^may be 

 used. Some have found pure gravel — the cleanest is the best — 

 to be a good substitute for sand. Kext to beach sand is peat, 

 and this is almost always present in wet grounds. The peat 

 requires some preparation before it is fitted for Cranbery cul- 

 ture. The top turf requires to be taken off to a depth sufficient 

 to remove all roots of grass and weeds, and the bared surface 

 left exposed to the action of the frost and weather for one year. 

 This treatment will make it light and poroiis, preventing that 

 caking and cracking which is sure death to the Cranberry. 

 Where the soil is not naturally either a sand or peat, and the 

 location seems otherwise well suited to the cultivation of the 

 Cranberry, it may be possible to supply pure sand or graveL 

 After taking the turf off from the beds to a depth that wiU 

 remove all the roots of grass and weeds, the bared surface may 

 be covered with sand to the depth of four or five inches, or 

 with gravel to about half that depth. 



Overflowing the beds can be very easily effected, if the arrange- 

 ments in the way of dams already suggested have been provided. 

 About the end of October is the proper time to let on sufficient 



