REPORT ON FORESTS. 259 



was an important industry. The writer can just remember the 

 long line of mule teams, bound to the shipyards on the shore, 

 with long straight stems of the oak and smooth-bark pine. The 

 logs are now, usually, short and small, the roads are good and 

 level, so that with the help of a couple of skids, cant-hooks and 

 parbuckles the handling of logs is a simple operation. 



The saw-mills are simple in nature and only work lumber for 

 local demands, finding, however, in the resorts along the shore a 

 good market for building materials. 



The income from the gathering of wild fruits is probably 

 equal to, if not more than the yield from fire-wood. The most 

 important of these are the cranberry, huckleberry and blueberry. 



The cranberry {Oxycoccus macrocarpon*yis now extensively 

 cultivated. It keeps well throughout the winter, and forms a 

 rich crimson sauce, which is relished with turkey. I^arge 

 quantities of these berries are exported to other States, and 

 even to foreign countries. 



The high-bush blueberry t {Vaccinmm corymbosum), which 

 reaches perfection in the swamps of South Jersey, has never 

 been cultivated. It is preferred by many to all other wild fruits. 

 It reaches the dimensions of a large shrub, if not a small tree, 

 on rich, moist, loose soil. The quality of the berries can be 

 easily improved by trimming. The natives know this and 

 accomplish it in a drastic, wholesale fashion by firing the woods. 

 The young shoots which spring up after a fire bear large luscious 

 berries. 



The wild grapes are also abundant. The fox grape {Vitis 

 labrusca)^ is plentiful in the swamps, the vines of which often 

 form luxuriant tangles in the tops of the trees. The fruit is 

 dark purple or amber in color, with a tough pulp, but delicious 

 musky aroma, and famous for jelly. 



The persimmon tree [Diospyros virginiand) bears an abund- 

 ance of rich fruit. The improvement of this fruit by grafting 

 has begun. At present, when a little green, the fruit is puckery ; 

 when ripe, too soft ; it is also too small and has too many seeds. 



• The term " cranberry " is properly restricted to the geous Oxycoccus, the term *' htickleberry " to 

 the genus Guylussacia, and the term ''blueberry'* to the genus Vaccinium. 



f White or pink varieties are not uncommon, which are simply cases of albinism. These are very 

 sweet and worthy of propagation. 



