105 



Salt and plaster would absorb and retain moisture ; and the former 

 we think to be most serviceable, if not necessary, to the perfection 

 of the fruit, from the fact that the best cranberries are grown 

 nearest the sea. The experience of cultivators, too, as we shall 

 presently show, confirms the supposition. 



Several instances of comparative success, in this mode of cul- 

 ture, are described in the Report of the Plymouth County Society 

 for 1852, contained in the volume from which our last extract was 

 taken. 



Mr. Austin J. Roberts says, in his statement : " In the fall of 

 1847, I noticed that the cranberries on a certain low, swampy 

 soil, were much benefited by the sand washed from an adjoining 

 hill. In size, the berries were larger and the yield there was 

 more abundant, compared with the product of the vines further in 

 the swamp, where the sand had not reached. This led to the de- 

 termination to ascertain how far the cultivation of the cranberry 

 on a sandy loam might be profitably carried. Accordingly, in 

 November,' 1848, 1 commenced setting out about an acre of land 

 to cranberry vines. 



" The piece of land in question had a gentle slope to the west ; 

 the upper portion was very light and porous, and so poor that it 

 had, in previous years, been considered hardly worthy of cultiva- 

 tion. The middle part, comprising one-third of the piece, was 

 good, hght, loamy soil, not liable to bake or sufier from drought. 

 The third portion of the lower part was strong loam, inclined to 

 moisture, and may be termed good grass land 



" The way of planting was as follows ; the land was ploughed 

 eight inches deep and harrowed ; light furrows, three and a half 

 feet apart, were then run lengthwise ; cranberry sods, of the Bell 

 variety, were cut eight to ten inches square, with a sharp spade, 

 wheeled out of the swamp, carted on the upland, and deposited 

 in the furrows three feet apart, although two feet would have been 

 better ; so that the sods, as placed in the furrows, were three and 

 a half by three feet apart. Clean cultivation Avas, for the next 

 two years, carried on by the cultivator and the hoe. The third 

 year the vines had commenced extending themselves in all direc- 

 tions, and at the end of the season^ had, in many places, nearly 

 covered the ground. Runners, from three to four feet in length, 

 were thrown out with great luxuriance, rendering the cultivator 



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