1880.] TKANSACTIONS. ' 19 



could be secured it would be most fortunate. A solid meat and 

 thick firm skin should be preferred. 



He would not set vines in rows, but in irregular shape, not 

 leaving a spot six inches square without a plant. The bare sand 

 gets hot in the sun, and scorches the young runners. If prop- 

 erly set the ground will cover in two years. The cranberry will 

 grow on 3^ feet of clear sand without fertilization, and give a 

 good crop for twenty years. He thought the use of the peat to 

 be to draw off the water ; the cranberry wants water in excess 

 for eight months, and extremely drj' hot soil for the other four. 

 He couldn't raise cranberries on cold, springy land, wet all the 

 year round, but could grow good ones, but not to a profit, on a 

 sand bank. There is but little cultivation required, beyond pull- 

 ing the few weeds for the first year or two. They will yield 

 $300 per acre with no expense, except gathering. He would 

 pick only with the fingers ; a rake will destroy the keeping quali- 

 ties of the fruit ; he keeps them from one picking to another, in 

 a basket in the cellar, covered only with a paper. He thought 

 the soil should drain a foot and a half below the fruit, or less if 

 there is a scarcity of water for flowing. The flowing is to keep 

 the frost off" the fruit-buds in the spring and the fruit in the 

 autumn. There is a worm also which attacks the vines; it win- 

 ters in the grass, and winter flowing kills it. Fine gi'avel may 

 be used, but sand is best for a bed. Cranberries can be grown 

 on high land, good corn ground, but it is hard to keep the grass 

 out on sucli land. 



The Chair expressed the pleasure of the Society in the infor- 

 mation from the last speaker, and in regard to the varied state- 

 ments in the general discussions of the meeting, he said they only 

 represent the result of experience with various forms of culture, 

 various soils, &g. He tliought all raspberries should be covered ; 

 after a rain, when the vines are supple, turn two rows together 

 and throw on a little loam. Even the so-called hardy kinds will 

 repay this care, in better crops and more and larger berries. 



