184; 



Essex County, arc of an cgg-shapcd variety. I do not know 

 whether or not it belongs to the Bugle class. It certainly does 

 not resemble either the Cherry or the Bell class, in form. Mr. 

 Hildreth, of M-anchester, cultivates this sort with most enviable 

 success. A large portion of his berries, of this kind, grown 

 this season, measured three-fourths of an inch in diameter one 

 way, by one inch the other. Some were larger. The fruit is 

 much lighter in color than the Cherry variety, and, I think, a 

 little later in ripening. It takes a lively hue late in the season, 

 but does not become dark crimson, like the Cherry. It is of 

 excellent quality, and commands a high price in market. The 

 vines of both these varieties are very prolific. 



The Bell cranberry is a good variety, or rather, class, and 

 with the best culture the beii-ies grow quite large. I have seen 

 single specimens of this kind measuring seven-eighths of an 

 inch broad near the blossom end, the diameter the other way 

 being a trifle less. It is a valuable and profitable kind, and is 

 extensively cultivated in Barnstable County, on the Cape. I 

 speak of the Bell cranberry as a class, because there are many 

 varieties that, merely from their form, pass under that name. 

 They have properties well nigh as distinct from each other as 

 so many seedling apples. The same is true of the Cherry and 

 the Bugle classes. With our little knowledge of cranberries, 

 we speak of them, usually, as we sometimes do of strawberries, 

 as Scarlets, Woods, or Pines. But these are only general terms, 

 and we have learned that every Scarlet is not an Early Vir- 

 ginia, nor every Pine a Moyamensing. We shall yet learn as 

 much of cranberries. 



IMPROVED VARIETIES. 



Some effort is usually made, in planting vines, to select the 

 best ; but I have never seen, in our County, a large bed en- 

 tirely of one, or two, or even three varieties. If every person 

 engaged in cranberry growing would select, each year, a single 

 plant of the most prolific kind, or one bearing the finest berries, 

 and set it apart from others, propagating from runners only. 



