38 ESSEX SOCIETY. 



Here, then, clearly, water would run off freely. On the other 

 side of the ditch, the ground rises six feet and five inches in a 

 distance of one hundred and thirty-two feet, which goes to show 

 that the vines do live and grow without water, at least with no 

 more than is needed for a crop of corn or beans. 



The altitudes were carefully taken by the undersigned, with 

 a spirit-level attached to an engineer's compass, having the tel- 

 escope and every fixture for accurate levelling. 



As evidence of the completely upland nature of the soil, it 

 may be stated, that a row of white beans was planted between 

 every two of cranberry vines ; and although it has not been a 

 good year for white beans, Mr. Low has harvested nine bushels 

 from the one hundred and twenty rods — a fact showing, also, 

 that the land is not lost to the cultivator even the first year, in- 

 deed that the bean crop has defrayed a large part of the ex- 

 pense. 



The cranberry vines had put out runners in many cases, from 

 three to four feet long, and have all the marks and numbers of 

 health and vigor. Sand was applied to about one half of the 

 hills, but without any apparent advantage whatever. The at- 

 tention of the committee was called particularly to this fact, be- 

 cause the experiments in Barnstable County seem to have been 

 all made with sand, and it is there thought and declared to be 

 indispensable. 



There was no artificial watering. The cranberry sods were 

 taken up, as appears by the statement below, on the 15th of 

 May, and set out on the 16th, 18th and 19th. The undersigned 

 is informed by Asa Lamson, of Salem, that there was in that 

 month (May) but two and seven eighths inches of rain. It 

 could not have been the presence of water, then, that caused 

 every root without a single failure to live, and nearly every one 

 to produce berries. 



It should be borne in mind, however, by way of caution, that 

 there has been more wet weather during the last six months, 

 than the average of the previous four years, or indeed any one 

 of them. The whole quantity during the months of May, June, 

 July, August, September and October last, is 25 3-4 inches ; 

 while during the same months in 1846, there was but 15 7-8 



