24 FIRST GROWERS. 



almost fatal enemy of the vine would choke them. 

 All these difficulties produced their results. Some 

 gave up, but others tried and experimented again and 

 again, until success crowned their efforts. 



The fruits of this rich experience are abundant, and 

 have proved useful to those who are now intending to 

 cultivate the cranberry vine. They have improved 

 the vine itself have naturalized it, have by cultiva- 

 tion made the vine yield largely, and a fruit, too, in 

 some instances about thrice the size of the berry in its 

 native swamp, or bog. The intending cultivator has 

 now this advantage over the first growers : he has in- 

 structions to fall back upon, instructions which it is 

 safe to follow, because practical experiment has taught 

 us what is to be avoided, and what is to be done. A 

 yard can now be prepared at a much less cost than it 

 could in former years, and those who have persevered 

 in keeping their yards in a good condition, and have 

 enlarged them, have for the last few years been real- 

 izing more than paying profits. It is this experience 

 which cheapens the cost of a yard, for the advantage 

 is with him who knows how to make it, while the 

 ignorant will have to fight the difficulties and obstacles 

 which opposed the first growers, and consequently it 

 will entail greater expense upon him. 



The average yield of early crops is not large. It 

 takes a few years for the vines to mat, and if the loca 



