28 CBANBEKRJT CULTURE. 



cation of the soil, it being situated on a slope which 

 received sufficient spring-water to keep the ground always 

 loose, or unpacked, and somewhat of the nature of quick- 

 sand. If this patch had been drained sufficiently to make 

 the surface dry, and allow it to become packed, no doubt 

 the vines would have failed, and perhaps perished. 



Clay and loam are to be avoided, under all circum- 

 stances, by those desiring a profitable arid permanent in- 

 vestment in cranberry meadows. Gravel is spoken of as 

 belonging to the drift formation this, of course, means 

 gravel composed, in part, of clay, such as is used for 

 road making. 



There is a kind of gravel, however, composed of pebbles 

 and beach sand, belonging to the alluvial formation, 

 which is well adapted to the growth of the vine. 



There exists also a variety of yellow sand, which, at 

 first sight, appears to contain a portion of clay ; but if, 

 upon being submitted to the test, it proves to be colored 

 sand only, it may be used to good advantage in preparing 

 the meadow. 



The test for sand or gravel to be used in cranberry 

 culture is this : Take a portion of the Boil and compress 

 it tightly in the hand ; if it is suitable, it ^vill fall 

 apart upon being released ; but if composed in part of 

 loam, it will adhere together after the pressure is removed. 



This is a simple but reliable test, and one much used by 

 practical growers. We knew one instance of failure, 

 where the grower had planted his vines upon a soil that 

 strongly resembled clear, white sand, but upon examination 

 it was found to contain a large percentage of white clay, 

 which readily accounted for the failure. 



The cranberry flourishes in pure muck, but in it the 

 growth is frequently so vigorous as to render the vines un- 

 productive, as well as soft and pliable, indicating a defi- 

 ciency of earthy matter in the soil. As stated in a previ- 

 ous chapter, vines growing naturally in a swamp, are not 



