42 



MASS. EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETIN 433 



properties with such water have long recognized that it is necessary to use the 

 very greatest care while flooding in order to avoid injury to the cranberry plants 

 themselves. 



Ponds with Varying pH, Occasionally 8 



Two ponds were found in Barnstable county, Santuit and Mashpee, having 

 water which varies considerably in pH yet maintains a consistently low alkalin- 

 ity. During the period from July 7 to August 16, pH readings fluctuated be- 

 tween 6.6 and 8.2. This condition might well repay further study. 



Water Conditions in Northwestern Massachusetts 



During a brief visit to Vermont and adjacent Massachusetts a number of 

 readings were made which indicated that in this region there exist waters so 

 alkaline as to render cranberry culture something quite diff'erent from that in 

 the southeastern part of the state. An attempt to grow cranberries in this region 

 might well be a hazardous experiment. (See Table 4.) 



Table 4. — pH and Alkalinity of Water in Northwestern 

 Massachusetts and Vermont. 



Bound 

 CO.- 

 Water pH p. p.m. Date Time Weather 



Willoughby Lake 7.5 15.0 8/25/45 Noon Cloudy 



Vermont 

 Winooski River 8.3 33.5 8/25/45 



below Plainfield, Vermont 

 2d Branch of White River 7.9 52.5 8/25/45 p.m. Cloudy 



at East Randolph, Vermont 

 Franklin Pond 7.2 17.5 8/25/45 4:00 p.m Rainy 



South Guilford, Vermont 

 Shattuck Brook 7.3 20.0 8/25/45 4:30 p.m. Cloudy, 



North Bernardston, Mass. rainy 



Water Conditions in Southern New England 



During 1946 the survey was extended to various parts of southern New Eng- 

 land not reached in 1945.'' The results of observations outside the principal 

 cranberry regions are shown on the map (Figure 2). 



Present information indicates that in the five smaller New England states 

 surface waters in the western part are often higher In pH and alkalinity than 

 farther east. 



'Dr. R. B. Stevens assisted in the field work and in making the determinations. 



