284 POPULAR FRUIT GROWING. 



latter has one flat seed in each fruit, while the former is a 

 many seeded berry. This plant is not adapted to general cul- 

 tivation, and seldom, if ever, does well on the prairies of the 

 West. It may be laid down as a general rule that it cannot be 

 successfully cultivated except on the granitic soils of the north- 

 ern states, and that it will be a failure on the limestone drift 

 soils, such as are common to the prairies of Minnesota, Iowa 

 and the Dakotas. In Wisconsin and eastern and northern Min- 

 nesota it is often very productive, either wild or cultivated, and 

 is an article of much importance in the markets of those sec- 

 tions each year. Where this fruit can be cultivated it is often 

 the most paying crop that can be grown. 



Best location for cranberry beds. — In a wild state this 

 plant is found at its best on moist land where the water level is 



within eighteen inches of the 

 surface. It seems to be rather 

 Indifferent about the soil, some- 

 times growing on sand and then 

 on peat mud or moss. As a 

 rule the best locations are low 

 meadow lands sloping down to 

 ponds, or watered by brooks or 

 creeks, somewhat sheltered 

 but shaded. On uplands, it has 

 been successfully cultivated, 

 but in such situations in is gen- 

 erally unprofitable and fre- . 

 quently an entire failure. It 

 may be laid down as a rule 

 that the soil in which this plant 

 is to thrive must be liberally 

 supplied with water, and yet 

 th-e land must be so drained 

 that the water can be drawn 

 off to at least ten inches be- 

 Fig. 129.— Common' cranberry. Foli- low the surface. The best 

 age and fruit; about one-half cranberry bogs are so ar- 



