100 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



peaty and vegetable matter. They prove that a large admixture 

 of peat or mud is not essential to the growth of productive vines. 

 Some experiments, however, have been made, showing that 

 their productiveness is increased by spreading over them peat, 

 or marsh mud. Some of these bogs are covered with water in 

 the winter, and some are not ; but in all of them water can 

 usually be found in the dryest weather, within about a foot of 

 the surface. A few bogs have been formed there by dyking in 

 salt and fresh meadows, and covering them with sand. These 

 have proved to be very productive. 



At Provincetown, where the soil is very similar to that at 

 Sandy Neck, the experiments have not been uniformly success- 

 ful. A difficulty occurs there in obtaining the proper grade. 

 In the wells of that village, the water rises and falls with the 

 tide. Farther inland the same cause operates to a limited 

 extent. During a course of high tides, the water in the low- 

 lands, where the cranberry vines are set, often rises so high as 

 to injure the crop ; and during a course of low tides, if dry 

 weather happens at that time, the vines suffer from drought. 

 In situations not thus affected the cranberry is very produc- 

 tive. In the swamps where the mud is deep, the cultivators 

 are troubled with wild grasses and rushes, and for that reason 

 sandy bottoms are preferred. It is also found by numerous 

 experiments that very little peaty matter is absolutely essential 

 to secure a crop. The best and most productive vines are 

 usually found on the edges of the bogs, where the sand was 

 removed to the depth of several feet in grading. In such situ- 

 ations there is no peat or mud ; but the water contains sufficient 

 peat in solution to promote the growth of the plants. In such 

 situations guano and other fertilizers have a good effect. 



The spring of the year is usually consi(3ered the most favor- 

 able season for setting. The cranberry vine, however, is very 

 tenacious of life, and will grow if set at almost any season. 

 The usual course is to punch holes in the ground, about eigh- 

 teen inches apart each way, and insert therein two or three 

 vines, and afterwards press the soil around them. Dr. Shove, 

 who has had large experience, sets the vines in shallow furrows, 

 made witli a common iron cultivator. He lays the vines down 

 in the furrow, and covers them, leaving out the ends of the 

 vines. 



