CRANBERRY 
Varieties 
Selection for Planting 
The kinds of cranberries vary as greatly 
in productiveness and habits of growth as 
do apples or peaches. As a result of this 
variation, many of the early planted bogs 
were not profitable, and had to be torn out 
and planted with a variety of greater com- 
mercial value. As with apples, those sorts 
which are largest and command highest 
prices upon the market are frequently 
shy bearers, and are only grown in lim- 
ited areas to satisfy the fads of special 
markets. The question of the varieties 
best suited to any given section is one 
of a local nature, and must be determined 
by trial. In sections yet to be developed 
it may be found that the climate and soil 
conditions are particularly well suited to 
sorts that are shy bearers in the Cape 
Cod region, or the opposite may be true. 
For that reason those contemplating tak- 
ing up this industry in a new section will 
do well to secure a number of different 
varieties of good repute from the various 
cranberry districts, rather than to place 
entire dependence either upon native stock 
or even the best sort from any other 
region. The history of the development of 
regions growing other standard fruits in- 
dicates that varieties are local. 
CRANBERRY CULTURE IN THE 
PACIFIC NORTHWEST 
©. N. BENNETT 
Clatsop Cranberry Bogs. 
July, 1913. 
General Description 
Cranberry culture was established in 
Massachusetts about 1810; in New Jersey 
about 1850 and in Wisconsin about 1880, 
although the berries were gathered for 
commercial purposes from the wild vines 
many years before these dates. While 
these three states produce practically all 
the cultivated cranberries, they are grown 
in about one-third of the states. The 
United States is the only country where 
they are grown commercially. 
In the Pacific Northwest the industry 
is comparatively new, but is by no means 
an experiment as bogs were established 
both in Pacific county, Washington, and 
Coos county, Oregon, about 1890, and at 
837 
present they are grown commercially 
from Coos bay, Oregon, to Puget Sound, 
Washington. 
There are probably not over 100 acres 
of bearing bogs along the Pacific coast, 
and the greater part of these have been 
neglected and are in poor condition, but 
there are a few bogs, where the owners 
understand and care for the bogs prop- 
erly, that are producing good crops. 
Within recent years interest has revived 
and bogs are now being scientifically con- 
structed and superintended by practical 
and experienced men and within the next 
few years the cranberry industry on the 
Pacific coast promises to be of consider- 
able importance. There are probably in 
the neighborhood of 200 acres of new bogs 
which have been planted within the last 
two years, the greater part of which is in 
Pacific county, Washington, and Clatsop 
county, Oregon, although there are small 
bogs being planted all along the coast. 
From the best information obtainable 
it is probable that there is not over 2,500 
acres of good cranberry land available in 
the Pacific Northwest, where all the es- 
sential conditions can be found and the 
bogs constructed at a reasonable expense. 
Requirements 
Cranberry culture has always proven 
very profitable when properly managed 
and where the essential natural conditions 
are suitable. Most all economic plants 
show a preference for certain soils and 
other natural conditions and the cran- 
berry is very exacting in this respect, but 
when once these conditions are assured 
there are few fruits that can be more 
easily and profitably grown. These con- 
ditions are well known and easily recog- 
nized by any one who will take sufficient 
interest to secure the literature of the 
subject and exercise moderately good judg- 
ment. Following are the principal re- 
quirements: 
Soil 
The soil should be an acid peat, free 
from silt or clay and also free from salt. 
This soil is found in fresh water marshes 
and is composed entirely of partly decayed 
vegetation. It should be at least two feet 
deep and is probably better if deeper. An 
