1889.] PUBLIC DOCUMENT — No. 4. 121 



than to the nature of the berry ; even the ' ' black-cap " 

 brightens its hue on our rich meadow lands in the interior 

 of the State. Again, on the more luxuriant vines of the 

 richer soil it is readily seen that all the berries cannot be of 

 the same dark hue with a crop of two hundred bushels or 

 more per acre (which is only a fair yield) , for such a crop 

 cannot give to all the berries an equal chance at the heat and 

 sunlight ; and a part of the fruit, just as large, finely flavored 

 and mature, will lack uniform color until after the picking 

 and spreading in the store-house. 



It has been said that the cranberry plant, if put on very 

 strong land, will run to vines and produce little or no fruit. 

 This, I am confident, is a mistake, if the bog is properly 

 levelled and sufficiently sanded. Instead, the richer and 

 deeper the soil beneath, the larger will be the crops, and the 

 more continuous and the finer the flavor of the fruit. " Cran- 

 berry culture," as now understood, is comparatively recent in 

 its origin, and is immense in its growth. I cannot, in the short 

 time allotted to me this morning, give you even a bird's-eye 

 view of the growth in the past fifty years, or less, since the 

 culture began, or hint at the change brought about by this 

 industry in the eastern part of this State and in a part of 

 New Jersey, notably in three counties. The comparatively 

 barren place has been made to bud and blossom and bring 

 forth fruit delightful to the palate and peculiarly healthful 

 as food. By it these poor soils have assumed a value far 

 beyond that of the richest farming lands of the West, and 

 have given to their owners not merely competence but 

 wealth. 



We will now look to certain requisites of location, methods 

 of preparing the soil and training the vines. 



The first requisite for a successful cranberry bog in the 

 middle or western part of the State is water, — a good and 

 sure supply for every emergency. In the spring, for 

 safety from frosts ; in the summer, for use against insect 

 pests ; in the fall, for security again against frosts, and in the 

 winter for covering the vines. Therefore, an unfailing reser- 

 voir, or reservoir rights, or water rights (if on a mill stream) , 

 are absolutely essential to success, or to satisfactory results. 

 Having the water supply secured, next look for sand of good 



