10 



CRANBERRY CULTURE. 



This is not apparent at first sight, as the vines appear to 

 be growing in the water ; but upon closely examining 

 phmts growing in a wet swamp, the roots will be found 

 not penetrating the muck, as was at first supposed, but 

 entwining themselves among the sphagnum moss above 

 it (see fig. 14). The water settling away at certain seasons 

 of the year leaves the moss comparatively dry, although 

 it possesses the property of retaining sufl[icient moisture 

 to support the plants, even in the dryest times. 



ANALYSIS. 



An analysis of this fruit was made, some years ago, by 

 Professor E. N. Horsford, of Cambridge, with the follow- 

 ing results in one hundred parts : 



Water 88.78 



Ash , 17 



Woody fibre, organic acids, etc 11.05 



100.00 



Percentage of potash in the ash 42.67 



" soda " 1.17 



The berries were dried in a steam chamber at 212° F., 

 and from these the ash determined by slow combustion 

 in a platinum crucible. 



The qualitative analysis of the ash indicated the pres- 

 ence of the following substance':;, viz. : Potassa, soda, 

 lime, magnesia, sesquioxide of iron, sesquioxide of man- 

 ganese, sulphuric acid, chlorine, silicic acid, carbonic 

 acid, phosphoric acid, charcoal and sand. 



From this analysis it will be seen that only seventeen 

 one-hundredths, or less than two-tenths of one per cent 

 of the Cranberry are found in the ash, as inorganic matter 

 derived from the soil, all the rest being derived from the 

 atmosphere and from water. 



" The results of experience are, therefore,'^ says Flint, 



strikingly corroborated by the deductions of science. 



