2Ga EXPERIMENT STATION. [Jan. 



distinct marks of bruising as a result of ordinary methods, it 

 has been most decisively demonstrated that the system of sep- 

 aration by bouncing, in common use, and the fall of the berries 

 into the barrels under customary methods of handling greatly 

 increase the amount of decay. 



Among other significant results may be mentioned demonstra- 

 tion of the fact that berries from fertilized plots are inferior in 

 keeping quality to those from unfertilized areas, and especially 

 that the use of nitrate of soda appears to increase the percent- 

 age of decay. The observations of the season indicate that 

 spraying with Bordeaux mixture is attended with a reduction in 

 the amount of fruit produced, and that decreased fruitfulness 

 persists the second year. The fruit from sprayed plots, how- 

 ever, is considerably superior in keeping quality to that from 

 plots unsprayed. The keeping quality is similarly improved as 

 a result of the use of copper sulfate in the flowage, but this 

 appears to be the only beneficial effect of the treatment. 



As usual, a large share of attention has been devoted to in- 

 vestigations of the various insects found in the cranberry bog. 

 The observations and experiments continue to demonstrate the 

 efficacy of resanding and reflowing or late holding of water as 

 methods of controlling the more injurious insects. 



The bulletin contains a careful discussion of a plan to be fol- 

 lowed in the production of cranberries which Dr. Franklin be- 

 lieves will considerably reduce the cost. Most briefly stated, 

 this plan involves the adoption of such methods as will entirely 

 prevent the production of fruit every alternate year, the more 

 important objects in view being the elimination of grasses, weeds 

 and insect pests at a minimum cost, bringing the vines to the 

 bearing year in the best possible condition, and reduction in the 

 cost of harvesting. Dr. Franklin believes that over a series of 

 years the plan of treatment advocated will not mean lower 

 total product of bogs so handled, as his experience and observa- 

 tions convince him that with proper preparatory treatment one 

 year the vines the next will produce at least as much fruit 

 as they will average in two years under the usual manage- 

 ment. 



The tables which follow show the nature and amount of the 

 expenditures in the cranberry substation during the past year, 



