104 



CRANBERRY CULTURE. 



almost full possession of all the cranberry yards on tlie 

 Cape. After trying v arious experiments, such as sprink- 

 ling over the vines with ashes, lime, pepper, tobacco, and 

 several other articles with no good results, the growers 

 became very much discouraged, and began to feel like 

 giving up the business as a failure ; but, in the spring of 

 1857, I concluded to try the experiment of keeping the 

 water on or over the vines later than usual, and did not 

 let it off until the 4th of June, and flooded and let off 

 again three times up to the 20th of June, letting the water 

 stay on each time from twenty-four to forty-eight hours ; 

 the result was the vines were undisturbed by the vine 

 Avorm. They put out well for a crop, and, after quite a 

 portion of the fruit was eaten by the fruit worm, I har- 

 vested about 110 barrels. Those repeated floodings, in 

 this case, were to make sure work of it. I don't find it 

 actually necessary to flood more than once where the 

 water can be kept on until it is warm enough to destroy 

 the egg of the vine worm, which is deposited on the under 

 side of the vine leaf. I find that the insect takes no note 

 of the month, or day of the month, in making its appear- 

 ance, but is governed entirely by the temperature of the 

 air or water. In a forward spring, in a warm, sheltered 

 location, the water may be k^t off earlier than in those 

 locations more exposed to the wind, or where the water 

 is supplied from cold springs. 



Where we have the means of flowing at pleasure, I 

 think it as well to flow soon after picking time, and let 

 tlie water off after the hard frosts — here, in Massachusetts, 

 about the 20tli, or last of May. The greatest difficulty I 

 have to contend with now is an overgrowth of vines. I 

 have tried several methods to overcome this trouble, but 

 the only one that seems to promise any favorable results, 

 is putting on, or among the vines, some two or three 

 inches more of sand ; the best way, I find, is to spread it 

 on the ice when the vines are flowed in the winter. The 



