444 BOAKD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



the destruction of the fruit crop, it may be desirable to flood the 

 meadow all summer, and sacrifice one season's crop. 



March winds are injurious to cranberry vines, as this is usually a 

 thawing and freezing month, and a covering of water will protect them. 



A fruit crop is sometimes saved from fall frosts by flowing. This 

 can be done when there is an ample supply of water and good drainage. 

 Water must be handled quickly, in order that the meadow may be dry 

 at time of picking; also, to prevent the berries from sun-scald. 



Drawing Off. — When the winter flowage of water is drawn off, a 

 rainy spell should be chosen. More or less slime, etc., will form on the 

 bog and vines; and if the water is drawn off during a storm, the rain 

 will wash the vines, and the exposure to the air at this time, minus the 

 sun's rays, is very beneficial. 



Packing and Shipping. — The packing season usually begins soon 

 after picking, following soon after the fall fruits are out of the market. 

 Small shipments are made during the picking season, the berries being 

 cleaned and packed in the morning, while the bog is drying off, and 

 also on rainy days. 



Berries stored in the storehouse at a cool temperature, if brought to 

 a much warmer temperature in the packing room, will become wet. 

 This is often spoken of as the sweating process, which term is hardly 

 correct, for the cranberry skin is waterproof. To demonstrate this 

 fact, submerge cranberries in water for days, and they will be as fresh 

 as when picked. When berries are wet, under the conditions men- 

 tioned, it is due to the process of condensation. Berries should never 

 be packed in a wet condition. To avoid this, the packing house should 

 be kept cool, and then, if berries become wet, it is best to discontinue 

 packing until the atmosphere becomes cool and dry. 



Berries are poured from the picking or storage boxes into the hopper 

 of the separator, which blows out the vines and separates the greater 

 part of the poor from the good berries. From the separator the berries 

 go to the screens, and are carefully picked over by women, four or five 

 usually working at a screen. 



The shipping package has been, to a great extent, the 100-quart 

 barrel, but the two-compartment crate (holding 32 quarts, dry meas- 

 ure) is the proper shipping package for cranberries. In fact, many of 

 the commission houses manifest their preference for the crate package 

 by re-packing from barrels into crates. The crate package will keep 

 the berries in the best possible condition, it is easily handled, and it 

 requires for equal holding capacity less storage room than a barrel. 



Cooking. — As cranberries contain such acute acids, there is no fruit 

 that will so quickly act upon tin, iron or brass, when brought into con- 

 tact. Hence, always cook cranberries in earthen-lined kettles, granite, 

 agate ware, or, still better, in aluminum kettles, which are now reason- 

 able in price, are light to handle, will not tarnish or discolor the sauce, 

 and do not easily scorch it. Never allow any article of food containing 



