Proceedings of the Farmers' Club. 489 



Prof. Jas. A. Wliitney.— As dis:ii2;reeinent is in order, I sliall be 

 obliged to take issue with Dr. Trimble. On this our friend Lyman is 

 clearly in the right. The elements of every plant, ammonia, potash, 

 phosphoric acid, etc., Mathin certain limits always exists in deiinite 

 proportions. If there is only sufficient ammonia in the soil for sixty 

 bushels of corn, and potash and ammonia enough for a hundred 

 bushels, sixty bushels is all we can got, and it will do no good to add 

 more potash and phosphoric acid, as for instance in the Ibrm of marl. 

 Barn yard or other ammoniated manure is needed to su})ply a pro- 

 portionate quantity of the needed constituent. A stinted supply of 

 any one constituent of a crop or plant will limit its growth as much 

 as if all were equally limited. 



Ckanbekries. 



M. Chas. II. Cummings, Windham, Conn., wished to in(iuire what 

 kind of land is required to tiow for cranberries, and will it pay to lay 

 out $100 on a dam to flow one-half acre of the right kind ? 



The Chairman. — Of course it would pay, and pay well. 



Mr. J. B, Lyman. — A great many persons hnving low, wet lands 

 think they have a true cranberry soil, and ask for advice in planting. 

 In answer, I will say briell}^ that the cranberry thrives and derives 

 its sourness from acids in cold, sour, peaty soils that are useful for no 

 other agriculture. But a situation that is low and peaty, my be for 

 other reasons unsuitable for this peculiar crop, that wants what 

 nothing else does, and lagnuishes in a fat soil. You dig ditches, get 

 rid of grass and bushes, and set in cranberry plants. They will grow, 

 and so will the grass and weeds. The grass may grow taster than 

 the cranberries, and you cannot cultivate in the usual way, for the 

 runners of the plant must not bo disturbed. A very peculiar treat- 

 ment is found practicable ; a{)ply sand. If you have that which is 

 line and white, so much the better. Building sand, glass sand, is the 

 best for cranberries ; you want to get rid of all color and all fertility 

 in the top-dressing; put it on four inches deep ; it will kill everything 

 else, but the cranberries like it and are happy. In three or four years 

 they will want another dose (jf sand. Ihit this is not all ; this singu- 

 lar vine loves to be drowned as well as starved, and requires for 

 perfect health and vigor to sleep during the winter at the bottom of 

 a pond. I would say, then, to this correspondent, and all others like 

 Mr. Cummings, that raising cranberries on a large scale and with 

 high ])rolit, depends on four conditions: 1. Have you a deep black 

 peat. Sour and cold ^ "2. Have y<<u a sand l;ank handy^ This sand 



