PAPERS AND PROCEEDINGS OF THE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
329 
cient quantity of peat earth,* I formed a bed 
one hundred and fifty feet long by four feet 
wide. In order to give the plants room to 
extend their roots freely, I caused eighteen 
inches in width of the centre part of this bed 
to be excavated throughout its whole length 
the depth of two feet, and having first covered 
about two inches of the bottom of the trench 
with small wood, I filled it up with the peat 
earth, well trod in ; on the sides of the bed, 
to the extent of its width, I put only six 
inches depth of this mould. About the end 
of June, 1818, I placed one row of plants in 
the centre of this bed, about two feetf apart 
from each other in the row; these soon put 
forth luxuriant runners, extending before the 
winter to the edges of the bed. At the close 
of the year 1819, the bed was covered with 
the plants, and the runners of the former 
year had thrown out a number of upright 
bearing shoots, from which, the following 
year, I gathered several bottles of excellent 
fruit, much superior in flavour to any im- 
ported berries I have ever tasted. In the 
autumn of 1820, I had the satisfaction to see 
the entire bed filled so completely by the 
plants, as to form a mass through which 
scarcely a weed could penetrate, the whole 
exhibiting a profusion of bearing branches. 
" The plants, after the first supply, may 
easily be propagated to any extent that may 
be required, for though they root more freely 
under glass, yet a hot bed is not absolutely 
necessary to raise them. I have known the 
cuttings strike well, and make good plants in 
pots in the open air, and after being rooted 
they require no trouble to preserve them. 
One of the boxes of those raised in 1818 was 
left exposed to the open air throughout three 
summers and as many winters, and though 
no care was bestowed on the plants, and the 
depth of earth did not exceed four inches, 
yet neither the summer's heat nor winter's 
cold affected them, and they produced some 
very fine berries. This proves their hardy 
nature, and that an exposed situation will not 
be inimical to the health of the plants. The 
berries I have likewise found to be as little 
susceptible of injury from being allowed to 
remain out late in the season, for on ex- 
amining my bed in April, I discovered that 
out of a considerable number which had not 
been gathered in the autumn, many were at 
that time in a perfect state on the branches. 
"Four feet is the most convenient width for 
the beds, but by passing the shoots under a 
path formed of peat earth, wherein they would 
* The peat earth used had no part of the turf or 
sod in it ; that had previously been taken off to the 
thickness of about two inches, and dried for fuel. 
t If planted four or six feet apart in the row in 
the centre of the bed, the shoots would soon meet. 
root, other beds might soon be established on 
each side. From four to six inches depth of 
peat earth would be sufficient for such beds, 
and the paths should be level with them, it 
being desirable not to drain off the moisture. 
" Dry heathy commons and wastes would 
produce a large supply of these fruits, with 
little labour or expense, either for the 
markets or for food for moor game. A single 
plant would soon extend itself over a large 
space of ground, if turned up and kept clean 
till the runners had taken root, and as no 
manure is requisite, and little or no weeding 
wanted, the first trouble is all that would be 
necessary, except in situations where hares 
or rabbits abound : these animals are parti- 
cularly fond of the young plants, and a 
temporary fence must be made to protect 
them from their depredations. 
"Dung is peculiarly injurious to the cran- 
berry ; it absolutely destroys it, as I have 
proved by a variety of experiments, in which 
I found that all the plants completely failed 
which were planted in any compost of which 
garden mould or dung formed a part. Peat 
earth is the only soil in which they will 
flourish : nor can a supply of this very 
valuable fruit be expected except in situations 
where the plants will have a due enjoyment 
of sun and air." 
[The American cranberry ( Oxy coccus ma- 
crocarpus) is preferable to the common Eng- 
lish kind (O. palustris), bearing larger fruit, 
and as some consider, of better flavour. J 
Melons from Cuttings. — The plan of 
raising a second crop of melons from cuttings 
taken from a former crop which has produced 
fruit has some advantages ; Mr. C. Harrison, 
formerly gardener at "Wortley Hall in York- 
shire, thus describes his method of doing this, 
and its success : — 
" When the first crop of. fruit is nearly 
gathered, I take off cuttings from the old 
plants. The cuttings which I select are 
those extremities of shoots which are showing 
the most small fruit. They are cut off close 
under the second advanced joint from the 
top ; the two lower leaves are taken off, and 
each cutting thus prepared is ready for inser- 
tion. I put two cuttings into each pot, and 
insert them close to the side of the pot, filling 
the pots with light rich soil, gently shaking 
it upon the cuttings. The pots used are 
twenty-fours. After being watered, I place 
the pots in a small one-light frame, a hot-bed 
having been previously prepared under it a 
sufficient time to allow the burning heat to 
subside before the bed is thus used. I cover 
the bed to the depth of eight or ten inches 
with moderately dry soil ; in this the pots 
with the cuttings are plunged up to the rim. 
The frame is then kept close for four or five 
