60 ESSEX SOCIETY. 



in a soil of sandy loam, a part of yellow appearance, and a 

 smaller part being dark. Mr. L. used no water at all about the 

 plants, and though the quantity of rain in May was small, (two 

 and seven eighths inches only,) yet every vine lived, and, as ap- 

 pears from the report and statement, nearly every hill produced 

 berries. The amount of rain, during the six months beginning 

 with May, has indeed been greater than usual, viz., twenty -five 

 and three eighths inches ; in 1846, for the same months, it being 

 but fifteen and seven eighths inches ; in 1S45, twenty-two and 

 seven eighths inches ; in 1844. twenty-one and three quarters ; 

 and in 1843, nineteen and three quarters inches. But the soil 

 is not retentive of moisture, and the two or three extra inches of 

 rain, the present year, could have made but little difference on 

 that account. The ground always appears dry in a few hours 

 after a shower, a fact accounted for partly by the porosity of the 

 soil, and partly by the surface itself, which is descending, at the 

 rate of six and one half feet in eight rods. Water could not 

 long stand upon any part of that land, and the whole experi- 

 ment is a grand triumph over supposed impossibilities. It is 

 true, the vines have not yet had a trial of even a single year. 

 But if the difficult stage of taking root is passed; if the plant 

 has sought and found its proper aliment ; if, in short, it has, in its 

 new and strange situation, already taken root downward and 

 borne fruit upward, what other greater difficulty can there be ? 

 It is believed there is none. 



It is not to be forgotten, that the foregoing facts are in singu- 

 lar contrast with nearly all that has been written and published 

 upon the subject of cranberry culture. The Yarmouth Regis- 

 ter seems to lead off, and, coming from Barnstable County, where 

 the Halls, the Hallets, and the Thatchers, have so long been sow- 

 ing and reaping, its authority seems to be unquestioned. What 

 mode does the "Register" recommend? As quoted in the Pat. 

 Off. Rep. before referred to, this authority says, "the cranberry 

 will live and grow in comparatively dry soils, but will not bear 

 fruit unless its roots are immersed in water all the year :" again, 

 " there must be an abundant supply of water all the year :" 

 again, "the ground must be saturated with water; " and again 

 "in a selection of a situation for his cranberry-yard, the culti- 



