8 



CRANBERRY CULTURE. 



C. L. Flint speaks of having observed it in the swamps 

 of Provincetown, Massachusetts, where it is called the 

 " Spice Cranbei ry ;" it is also found in South America, 

 and on the vast steppes of Russia, also occasionally in the 

 wastes of Siberia. 



The V, Oxy coccus flowers in June. The berries are 

 about one-fourth inch in diameter^ and often speckled 

 with white when young ; owing to its small size and acrid 

 flavor, this species is seldom gathered for the market. It 

 is said that in Sweden, the acid juice of tins berry was 

 formerly used to boil silver plate in, that it might eat off 

 the minute particles of copper alloy. 



The macrocarpon puts forth stems or runners vary- 

 ing from one foot to six feet or more in length. The 

 tendency of these runners is to trail upon the ground, and 

 send down numerous little roots to draw up moisture and 

 nourishment for the flowering branches which ascend 

 from the runners, at frequent intervals, to the height of 

 from three to twelve inches. The leaves are oblong, 

 about half an inch in length, and are covered with a 

 whitish bloom underneath. 



The Y. macrocarpon also flowers in June, producing 

 berries varying from one-fourth to one inch in diameter; 

 these are of a light green color while growing, but when 

 ffdly ripe^ of a bright crimson, or carmine color. It is a 

 native of North America, and is found growing naturally 

 in the peat bogs of Virginia, and westward to Minnesota, 

 also northward, and abundantly in the British Posses- 

 sions. In Minnesota and Wisconsin it gro-vG extensively, 

 being gathered in large quantities by the Indians. 



Its favorite resorts are swamps and morasses containing 

 rich bottoms of decomposed vegetable matter, commonly 

 called muck, or peat. These swamps are apt to be flood- 

 ed during every wet term, especially in winter and early 

 spring ; but in the growing season they attain some degree 

 of dryness^ without which the vines will not flourish. 



