164 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



For the Neio England Farmer. 

 THE CRANBERRY. 



Mr. Cole : I Avish to set a small piece of land to 

 cranberry sods, and I wish to bo informed if it is 

 best to iDlough first. The piece is now in grass and 

 moss. The soil is quite retentive of moisture, in 

 consequence of its being undcrlaycd by a hard pan 

 of clay and gravel, about one foot below the surface. 

 A hole dug to the hard ])an, say twelve to eighteen 

 inches deep, any time in the summer, will stand two 

 thirds full of water. I have said it is covered with 

 grass and moss. The grass is thin, and its place 

 supplied by moss, for the reason that the soil is full 

 of water. Another part is dry enough for corn, but 

 a poor, sandy soil. 



Should I dig holes in the turf and set the vines, or 

 plough, and then set ; and if I plough, should I 

 manure first. Any information would be thankfully 

 received. 



KespcctfuUy yours, 



EDWIN BOOTH. 



Springfield, April 20, 1849. 



Editorial Remarks. 



In order to subdue the wild grasses and weeds, it 

 will be better to plough the land and completely 

 invert the sod, or furrow slice. Then much less la- 

 bor will be required to subdue the grass and weeds, 

 until the cranberry plants are strong enough to keep 

 possession of the ground. 



The retention of water a little below the surface is 

 no disadvantage. Cranberries of spontaneous growth 

 are common on marshes, meadows, and on the 

 margin of ponds, where the land is often flowed with 

 water, and where water stands through the season 

 near the surface of the land. 



That part that is dry enough for corn, should be 

 manured with peat or mud, to render it more com- 

 pact and retentive of moisture. 



When the cranberry plants can be obtained con- 

 veniently, the surest way of transplanting is to take 

 up sods, containing the vines, and set them, sods 

 and all. It is better to make the rows about three 

 feet apart, and set the sods or plants about two feet 

 apart in the roAV, and the plants will extend over the 

 land much sooner than when set four feet apart each 

 way, as is the practice of some cultivators. 



When the land is wet, and composed mostly of 

 peat, mud, or clay, sand is the best manure. Ani- 

 mal or compost manure has not been found profit- 

 able for cranberries ; and mineral manures would 

 probably be no better. But sand is very useful ; and 

 this has often been shown by the superior production 

 of cranberries on wet lands, where sand has been 

 carried down by water from the high lands and 

 deposited around cranberry vines. 



For the New Enyla^ul Farmer. 

 SAW-FLY OF THE RASPBERRY. 



Mr. Cole : The season is now approaching when 

 the insect world, awakened from their long sleep by 

 the warm sunshine, will commence their depreda- 

 tions on our fruits and flowers ; and nil who would 

 see fixir fruits, andthciv gardens and orchards clothed 

 in green verdure, must seek some means of defence 

 against the destroyers. 



The raspberry bushes in the vicinity of New 

 Haven have, within a few years, been attacked by a 

 species of saw-fly, which is gradually increasing in 

 numbers, and desen-es the attention of all who cul- 

 tivate this fruit. It cats all the leaf except the ribs 

 pr woody part, which makes the bushes, in the first 

 part of summer, look brown and withered. This 

 caterpillar is about half an inch long, having three 

 double roAvs of short, brown, branching or forked 

 spines along the back, and three double rows of simi- 

 lar white spines along the side; the spines of each 

 double row being set in alternate order. It has 

 three pairs of legs and eight pairs of prop logs ; the 

 color is green, and so exactly like the leaf that a 

 sharp view is required to discover it, as it lies along 

 the ribs of the leaf. The caterpillar hatches about 

 the second Aveek in May ; it is very minute and 

 greenish white, but grows darker green at each 

 moulting. It leaves the bushes about the time the 

 fruit ripens, goes into the ground, (I have not yet as- 

 certained how deep,) forms around itself an oval coat 

 of earth cemented together, and remains over the 

 winter. 



During the first and second weeks in May, the 

 bushes literally swarm with the perfect insect, Avhich 

 deposits its eggs in a small incision close to the ribs 

 underside the leaf. The eggs are easily discovered, 

 as the leaves are dotted with yellow on the upper 

 side where they are. 



The fly is black, Avith a small spot on each side of 

 the collar ; the middle of the back and the legs are 

 dirty yelloAv, the hindermost feet being dusky ; there 

 is a small black dot near the tips of the fore Avings ; 

 length of the body, nearly one fifth ; expansion of 

 the Avings, one half of an inch. It is easily caught 

 by hand, for Avhcn alarmed it remains motionless for 

 a moment. 



Some specimens have been sent to Dr. Harris, Avho 

 says, " It appears to be an undescribcd insect. It be- 

 longs to the genus selandria, and resembles in form 

 and size the saw-fly of the rose, {selandria bknocampa 

 rosa,) but is referable to a different group of the 

 genus, called }w2)locampa by Hartig, on account of 

 the spines Avith Avhich the larva is armed. The 

 insect may be named selandria {hoploca>7i2)a) ruhi, the 

 latter term being giA'en in allusion to the scientific 

 name (rubus) of the raspberry." 



The selandria roses has Avithin the last thr^e years 

 increased to an alarming extent. Last summer, the 

 rose bushes, in some gardens, had not a green leaf 

 left upon them. Their OAvners, through ignorance, 

 attributed it to blighting Avinds ; some thought they 

 Avero sun-burut ; if they had taken the trouble to 

 examine the leaA'cs, thoy Avould haA'e found myriads 

 of disgusting creatures, scaring our most beautiful 

 of flowers, like the autumn Avinds ere the summer's 

 sun had begun to Avane. 



These slugs are light green and perfectly smooth ; 

 so ashes or lime does not readily stick to them : the 

 most effectual mode of destroying them, is to pick 

 them off and crush them, Avhich is a sIoav, disagree- 

 able process, but sure. The caterpillars of the rasp- 

 berry may be shaken off by a sudden jar : they aro 

 eaten greedily by the chipping sparroAV, better 

 known as the chit-bird : therefore it is for our inter- 

 est as Avell as pleasure to protect these agreeable 

 little pets, and entice them, by scattering crumbs and 

 seed, to alight about our doors. 



GRACE DARLING. 



Nbav Haven, Ct., April 18, 1819. 



Editorial Reaiauks. 



Fortunately for the horticultural community, the 

 family of the late and much lamented Judge Dar- 

 ling took a deep interest in. the subjects in Avhich he 

 was engaged, Avhich enables them to communicate 



