PKUIT-GAEDENING. 79 



CRANBERRY. 



Canneberqe. Oxycoccus. 



Tliis genus of plants is well distinguished from the Vac- 

 einium, or Whortleberry, by the narrow revolute segments of 

 corolla ; and are pretty Uttle trailing evergreen plants, to which 

 a peat soil or rather moist situations are absolutely necessary. 

 They are very little changed by culture. 



The Oxycoccus maerocarpus is a red acid fiiiit, highly valued 

 as a sweetmeat, or for tarts. It is well known that this excel- 

 lent fruit grows in many parts of our country spontaneously, 

 and that the mere gathering of it is all that bountiful nature 

 requires at our hands ; but it is well worth cultivating where 

 there are none. This fruit will keep a whole year, if properly 

 preserved in closely covered stone jars, and is considered by 

 many as superior to the best currant jelly, and may be kept 

 for many months in a raw state without injury. 



The Oxycoccus palustris bears edible berries, which are 

 gathered wild both in England and Scotland, and made into 

 tarts. Lightfoot says, that twenty or thirty pounds' worth are 

 sold each market-day, for five or six weeks together, in the 

 town of Langtown, on the borders of Cumberland. Nicol 

 says the American species is more easily cultivated than the 

 English, but is inferior to it in flavor. There is reason to be- 

 lieve that the quality of fruit of each of these species is sub- 

 ject to variations, which have not yet been practically distin- 

 guished. Their cultivation is now so well understood that 

 both may be considered with propriety as inmates of the fruit- 

 garden. Some- raise them from seed sown early in the spring ; 

 but it is best to set out plants, and lay the runners as they pro- 

 gress in growth. 



It IS customary in England to prepare beds on the edges of 

 ponds, which are banked up so as to admit of the wet getting 

 imdemeath them ; bog or peat-earth is considered essential for 

 the roots to run in ; but it has been discovered that they can 

 be cultivated in damp situations in a garden, with a top-dress- 



