1889.] PUBLIC DOCUMENT — No. 4. 119 



which we raise, and largely to those smaller crops so essen- 

 tial to our comfort and true pecuniary success as farmers. 

 The first of those to-day will be read by a gentleman whom 

 you all know, who is prominent in his own county and in 

 the State, and who has besides had a large practical experi- 

 ence in growing cranberries in the interior of the State. I 

 think it is desirable to have the experience of such a man, 

 as most of our papers and most of the discussions on that 

 subject have been confined to the great cranberry bogs along 

 the coast. The essay on cranberry culture will be read by 

 the Hon. J. W. Stockwell of Sutton, whom it is my pleasure 

 to introduce to you. 



CRANBERRY CULTURE. 



BY J. W. STOCKWELL OF SUTTON. 



The cranberry is supposed to have been so named, says 

 White, " from the appearance of its bud." Just before ex- 

 panding into the perfect flower, the stem, calyx and petals 

 resemble the neck, head and bill of the crane ; hence the 

 name " craneberry " or cranberry. I have never noticed 

 this resemblance, but had supposed it took its name from 

 being found on the borders of ponds and in wet meadows 

 or marshes, where the cranes or herons " most do congre- 

 gate." Be this as it may, its bud and blossom are beauti- 

 ful, and resemble, in their general appearance, the bud and 

 blossom of the " patridge-berry," or of the green-house 

 plant, the bouvardia, — not quite so large as the latter, and 

 much larger than the former, but of similar form and of a 

 delicate pink color. 



The cranberry is a native of North America, and is found 

 from Virginia to Minnesota. It is a vine, trailing along the 

 ground, sometimes on rich soil, in favorable locations, running 

 ten feet or more, sending out branches, and these branches 

 other smaller ones, so that when broken near its root, and 

 carefully drawn out, you have a long vine, interwoven with 

 others, suflScient to cover a large plat of ground. These 

 branches send down from the joints numerous little roots to 

 help sustain the plant and to grow the fruit, but not in such 

 numbers as would seem needful to support so much life and 

 perfect the berry. And this peculiarity is explained by the 



