58 STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



after draiuage they have been planted very thickly, and the vines allowed 

 to take full possession of the ground. The tendency of such a growth is 

 to stop any grass or weed growth and to keep the berries clean. Xone 

 of the larger bogs have been sanded. These bogs are peat bogs. 



Prof. Harvey. Our natural cranberries grow upon the top of peat 

 sometimes. I presume there would be local problems that would have 

 to be considered. It might be a matter that would have to be experi- 

 mented on in different parts of the State, the soils differ so much. In 

 some places they put the sand right on top without taking anything off 

 at all, and in other places they skim the top off before putting on the 

 sand. In some cases there seems to be no peat material underneath but 

 simply a sand bank. The cranberries grow because they are watered 

 from adjoining bogs with water containing organic matter in solution for 

 the food, but it would appear that they are growing on very sterile soiL 

 Ques. Did you mean to convey the idea that bog cranberries are 

 raised in the State with financial success? 



Ans. Yes, sir; I think they are. Several parties are doing quite a 

 little business with them. I think Mr. Knowlton can tell you of some 

 bogs that he knows of. 



Mr. Knowlton. I cannot give data in regard to that, but I am conver- 

 sant with a number of localities where they ai-e grown quite successfully. 

 I have in mind a very fine cranberry bed within a short distance of one 

 of the largest mountains in the State. The bed is not large, but the suc- 

 cess of the owner in cultivating it is very marked indeed. And the only 

 thing strange about it is that he does not take the hint which nature has 

 offered him, of his opportunities, and as the boys say sometimes, "Wade 

 in." For he invariably has a crop of cranberries. To be sure he is favora- 

 bly situated. He has at the head of his bog an abundant supply of water, 

 and in a couple of hours time he can completely flood the bog, and he 

 can drain it equally quick. He has there somewhere from fifteen to 

 twenty-five acres of bog land, and over fifteen acres of it certainly can 

 be cultivated and cranberries grown upon it without any trouble. The 

 last time I saw the man and talked with him he and his son wei-e putting 

 in three or four short rows of ci-auberries every year. It requires con- 

 siderable work to get the bog in condition. It has to be drained, the 

 turf has to be taken oft" and it has to be sanded. But he is making more 

 money from his farm, I think, than any other man in the town in which 

 he lives, and it is very largely because he is operating this bed. 



I am reminded of one thing suggested by the questions which were 

 asked in regard to the success of cranberry beds in the State. I know of 

 quite a number of localities where the beds are run out, and the idea 

 somehow pi'evails that it does not pay to raise cranberries. The fact in 

 regard to that is just the same as it is in regard to any kind of farming- 

 it does not pay to half do it. But if you take advantage of the oppor- 

 tunities which nature has offered to you in almost any direction, you do 

 not know how speedily and how bountifully she will respond to your 

 efforts. The neglect of improving these opportunities is the occasion 



