38 PREPARING SOILS. 



kept down. It will thus be clear to the reader, that 

 in such a situation, the plant can throw out its runners 

 in every direction, and having no weed to contend 

 against, will therefore spread rapidly, and soon become 

 matted, a condition of the yard towards which the prac- 

 tical man looks with anxiety. If you are about to make 

 the attempt to cultivate the cranberry, if possible, ob- 

 tain beach sand in which to set out your vines; or 

 coarse sand when the former cannot be obtainedj but 

 the white is preferred. 



Peat is found to be excellent, in fact, next in value 

 and importance to the beach sand, for the growth of 

 cranberries. But peat wants management and care in 

 its preparation, in order to be made useful to the vine. 

 In selecting a peat swamp to be converted into a cran- 

 berry patch, it is necessary to take off the top turf, or 

 grass, and if possible give the yard a little incline. 

 When this is done, it is unsafe to plant at once. If 

 you do so, you will find that the peat will in the fol- 

 lowing summer cake and crack. It will be hard on the 

 surface, and some few inches below stiff and dry. 

 The veriest tyro in cranberry cultivation knows that 

 such a condition is very bad for the vine. 



How is this difficulty obviated? Prepare the surface 

 as we have stated above, and leave the yard exposed 

 to the frost and weather for one year. When the frost 

 is thawed out of it, it will crumble and be powdery. 



