164 MASS. EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETIN 206. 



Bog Management. 

 Experience and the results of recent experiments lead to the conclusion 

 that winter-flowed bogs not reflowed in June should be sprayed once 

 regularly, a few days before the vines blossom, with this mixture: — 



Black-Leaf 40 1 gallon 



Water, ........... 400 gallons 



Fish-oil soap, .......... 16 pounds 



This treatment largely takes the place of the June reflow in reducing 

 various harmful pests, especially — 



1. The black-head fireworm (Rhopobola vacciniana (Pack.)). 



2. The spittle insect (Clastoptera vittata Ball). 



3. The girdler {Cramhus hortuellus Hiibner). 



4. Leaf hoppers (mainlj' species of Euscelis ') and spring-tails {C olle^nhola) . These 

 forms abound among the vines of bogs not reflowed, and must drain their vitality 

 considerably. Cranberry vines often seem stimulated in growth by nicotine sprays. 

 Probably this is usually due to the reduction of insect drains. 



Resanding. 

 The results with two plots on the station bog that have not been sanded 

 since 1909 are shown in Tables 9 and 10. The check areas in each case 

 bordered different sides of the plot. The berries were Early Black and 

 were picked and stored in 1920 on September 18. They were stored in 

 bushel crates, 6 bushels being used in each case, and were examined 

 November 26 to December 2 by the "seven-sample" method. No dis- 

 tinct effect on keeping quality from resanding was revealed. ^ These plots 

 yielded as well as the surrounding bog until 1916.^ Table 10 shows how 

 since 1915 their average productiveness has fallen below that of their 

 checks. The last five years these plots have been more thinly vined than 

 the surrounding bog. 



' Identified by W. L. McAtee of the Bureau of Biological Survey. 



2 Mass. Agr. Expt. Sta., Bui. No. 180, 1917, p. 219, Table 18; Bui. No. 192, 1919, p. 134, Table 14. 



3 Mass. Agr. Expt. Sta., Bui. No. 168, 1916, p. 27, Table 15. 



