22 



REPORT ON CRANBERRIES. 



*" The cranberry is supposed to have been so named from 

 the appearance of its bud. Just before expanding into the 

 perfect flower, the stem, calyx and petals resemble the neck, 

 head and bill of a crane, — hence the name, ' craneberry,' or 

 ' cranberry.' " 



There are two prominent and well-known species of this 

 fruit : the small ( Vaccinium Oxycoccus) and the large or 

 American (^ Vaccinium macrocarpon). The former is found 

 in peat bogs from New England and Pennsylvania to Minne- 

 sota, and northward, and is seldom gathered for market. 

 The latter is found in peat bogs, from North Carolina to 

 Minnesota, and everywhere northward, but scarcely west- 

 ward. The American cranberry is divided, by writers upon 

 this subject, into three varieties: first, the bell cranberry; 

 second, the bugle cranbei'ry ; third, the cherry cranberry. 

 Some years ago a variety was discovered on Cape Cod, and 

 called the " early black." This has been extensively propa- 

 gated on the Cape. 



The cranberry cannot be successfully cultivated on the 

 " drift formation," that is, a soil composed of clay or loam ; 

 but must be grown, if grown at all, upon the " alluvial for- 

 mation." The best soil is beach or quartz sand, overlaid by 

 about a foot of turfy peat. 



The first attempts at the cultivation of the cranberry in 

 this country were made on Cape Cod, about the year 1820, 

 by Capt. Henry Hall of Dennis. The general cultivation, 

 however, does not date back further than the year 1850. 



The following table has been prepared in order to show 

 the development of the cranberry industry : — 



* Cranberry Culture. J. J. White. 



