1861. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



507 



CRANBEBBIES ON" HIGH LAND. 



For several years past, we have been attempting 

 to raise cranberries on high land. Our first at- 

 tempt was upon a dry, sandy loam land, that had 

 been allowed to mature the seeds of a variety of 

 weeds indefinitely before the land came into our 

 possession. The plants grew well enough on this 

 soil, but the incessant pulling of weeds so often 

 disturbed the young "runners," that they did not 

 have time to get a firm hold of the soil, and of 

 course did not succeed well. This experiment 

 was continued two or three years, and then aban- 

 doned. The next attempt was upon a piece of 

 underdrained "swale" land ; that is, land such as 

 we have all over New England, bordering mead- 

 ows, or the low "runs" among the uplands. The 

 piece we selected was of the latter description, 

 where the surplus water found its way out from a 

 series of gently swelling hills. It would have 

 been good corn land in a moderately dry season. 

 The water, however, before it was drained, re- 

 mained in it late enough in the spring to cause it 

 to send up rushes, and in some places, flags, and 

 a variety of rank meadow grasses. This was its 

 condition when selected for cranberries. Six 

 months later it was thoroughly drained by the use 

 of tile laid four feet deep, which resulted in bring- 

 ing in timothy and red top, without the aid of 

 plowing or adding seed — on three sides of the 

 piece there being a stout growth of both these 



The process was to cover the rushes and mead- 

 ow grass with coarse gravel, so that none of it 

 could be seen. A little fine meadow muck, say 

 fifteen bushels to the rod, was spread over the 

 gravel, and the plants set about one foot apart in 

 each direction. The plants were taken from a 

 common cranberry meadow, and set from the mid- 

 dle to the last of April. The only thing done to 

 them since has been to keep out all weeds and 

 grass that have made their appearance ; and this 

 must be done with care, so as not to disturb the 

 sod or plant, which was originally set, or the 

 "runners" which have started out from it. 



On the single rod where the plants have been 

 set three years, in the first week of September, we 

 gathered one bushel of cranberries, and we have 

 seen but a single lot in market that compares 

 with them in size. On a rod set two years, eight 

 quarts were gathered. These amounts were in 

 clean, sound cranberries, with probably not an 

 imperfect one among them, as they were gathered 

 by hand. 



A cranberry patch has a value beside that found 

 in its fruit, as there is scarcely any thing more 

 ornamental in the vicinity of the dwelling. The 

 plants have a dark, but brilliant green, in the 

 spring and early summer, and when in blossom, 

 at a little distance, present the appearance of a 



slight fall of snow upon them — and on a nearer 

 approach, the delicate line of pink on the blossom 

 gives them a very beautiful appearance. They 

 remain in this condition for more than two weeks. 

 In the autumn, when the leaves have matured, 

 they present various shades of red, and thus re- 

 main pleasant and inviting to the eye until snow 

 covers them for the winter. 



From observation and careful inquiry through 

 several years, we are satisfied that not more than 

 one family in ten in Massachusetts ever have a 

 cranberry in the house. They are only common 

 with a comparatively few. In our opinion, this 

 ought not to be so, because we are convinced that 

 their usefulness does not cease with the mere 

 gratification of the taste. Physicians inform us 

 that they possess valuable medicinal qualities, 

 which give tone and healthy action to the liver 

 and kidneys, and favor the removal of vitiated 

 matters which have become useless and injurious 

 to the system. 



The preparation of the cranberry for the table, 

 requires a good deal of sugar, to be sure — but su- 

 gar is an exceedingly nutritious and healthy arti- 

 cle when taken as a portion of the meal, and is 

 undoubtedly, so far as economy is concerned, 

 cheaper than meat. 



We hope others will try the experiment of rais- 

 ing the cranberry on high land, so as to establish 

 the fact that such culture is feasible, and that all 

 our people may then have cranberries at hand for 

 their pies and tarts, and as a condiment for their 

 roasted turkey on Thanksgiving Day, or for their 

 roasted mutton, when they are so fortunate as to 

 have it. 



TO KEEP FOWLS FREE FROM VERMIN. 

 The London Field has an article on this subject 

 from the pen of John Douglas, professional breed- 

 er, from which we make the following brief ex- 

 tract. The "black sulphur" mentioned, we sup- 

 pose, is the black sulphuret of mercury, and may 

 be obtained at the apothecaries. 



"There are several kinds that infest the hen. 

 By attending to the following remedy, they will 

 be entirely kept clear. First of all, if in confine- 

 ment in the dusty corner of a poultry-house, mix 

 about half a pound of black sulphur among the 

 sand and lime, that they dust in. This will both 

 keep them free from parasites, and give the feath- 

 ers a glossy appearance. If infested with the in- 

 sects, damp the skin under the feathers with a lit- 

 tle water, then sprinkle a little black sulphur on 

 the skin. Let a bird be covered with the insects, 

 and they will disappear in the course of twelve 

 hours. Also, previous to setting a hen, if the 

 nest be slightly sprinkled with the sulphur, ihere 

 is no fear of the hen being annoyed during incu- 

 bation, neither will the chickens be annoyed by 

 them. Many a fine hatched brood pines away 

 and dies through nothing else, and no one knows 

 the cause. Having had an ostrich under my care 



