THE KEEPIXG QUALITY OF CEAISTBEKEIES. 3 



of New Jersey would have a different ejffect on the berries than the 

 much cooler water of Wisconsin. The results of the experiments 

 here described will be useful even to Wisconsin growers only when 

 considered in connection with the conditions on thi^ir own marshes 

 and with their previous experience. 



PRESENT PRACTICE IN WATER-RAKING. 



The usual practice in water-raking is to flood the vines so that the 

 cranberries float on or near the surface. Thej^ are then harvested 

 with rakes much like those used in dry-raking, but usually some- 

 what larger and with the teeth longer and farther apart. After the 

 berries are harvested they are dried as soon as practicable, usually 

 by pom-ing them into specially made drying crates, which are then 

 piled and an empty crate placed on top of the pile to protect the 

 berries from the sun. A common type of crate is 24 by 24 inches in 

 size by 6 inches deep, with the bottom and two sides made of laths 

 spaced to permit the free circulation of air. The crates are usually 

 filled one-fourth to one-third full, and an open space is left in the 

 middle to increase the ventilation. When the berries are dry they 

 are removed to the storehouse. A few growers with large and well- 

 ventilated storehouses follow the practice of taking the berries 

 directly into the storehouse after they are raked from the water and 

 placing them in shallow crates, which are so piled as to permit the 

 free circulation of air. 



If there is injury to berries from water-raking it probably arises 

 either from their submergence or in the process of drying. Several 

 important factors in each of these processes will be briefly considered. 



IMPORTANT FACTORS IN DRYING CRANBERRIES. 



The universal experience of cranberry growers agrees with the re- 

 sults of experiments conducted in Massachusetts and in Maine in 

 indicating that it is injurious for cranberries to remain damp for a 

 long time in storage (6, p. 122, and 9, p. 9). It is therefore to be 

 expected that, other things being equal, the more quickly berries 

 are dried after being water-raked the better. The time requked 

 for drying will depend, first of all, upon the weather and, second, 

 upon the way they are handled. The most favorable conditions 

 for drying are obviously a good breeze and a low humidit}', conditions 

 which apparently are somewhat more frequent in Wisconsin (3) 

 than in other cranberry regions. 



The weather conditions are, of course, beyond the growers' con- 

 trol. The rate of dr3'ing, however, is dii-ecth' influenced by the 

 manner in wliicli the cranberries are handled. Berries will dr}' much 

 more quicldy if the drying crates are not filled too full, the grass and 



