148 
WISCONSIN HORTICULTURE 
July, 1919 
CRANBERRY CULTURE 
Edited by Mrs. S. N. Whittlesey, Cranmoor, Secretary Wisconsin 
Cranberry Growers Association 
Not for many years has there 
been so favorable a season for 
cranberries, as this one up to date. 
Vines are looking well, and buds 
and blossoms are appearing much 
earlier than for the past two or 
three years. If present condi- 
tions continue a most bountiful 
harvest should be reaped. 
Ill health has forced Wm. San- 
ford to retire from the manage- 
ment of the Arpin Cranberry Co’s 
marsh at Cranmoor. Mr. Sanford 
has ably filled this position for 
some years and it is regretted the 
state of his health prevents con- 
tinuance. Mr. Harrison Kruger 
has taken the position and will de- 
vote his best efforts to carry on the 
good work. 
Among the late scientifically laid 
out and operated cranberry 
marshes is that of the Cranberry 
Lake Development Company, lo- 
cated near Phillips, Wis. 
This company possesses some 
2,300 acres of land giving them am- 
ple material and facilities to de- 
velop and care for in the highest 
degree the parts of their acreage 
suitable for cranberry culture. 
They have 86 acres under cultiva- 
tion, all developed as scientifically 
as the most modern and improved 
methods can prescribe. Of this 
acreage 22 acres came into bearing 
in 1918 with a yield of 983 bar- 
rels— a most remarkable produc- 
tion for a new planting. This sea- 
son of 1919, thirtytwo acres more 
are expected to bear, and should 
these in turn do as well, the pro- 
moters of this plat are surely to be 
congratulated. 
During last year a large number 
of concrete flumes were built — 17 
flumes with a half foot base, not 
counting the wings; 12 with a six- 
foot base, one, the main flume with 
a 14-foot base, and a spillway with 
a 30-foot base. A suitable storage 
shed 20x80 ft. was also built and 
another as large will undoubtedly 
be needed this year to take care of 
the increased production. Mr. Jas. 
G. Houghton as Pres. E. W. Clark 
V. Pres. — Albert Hedler Secy, and 
Treas. are the present officers of the 
company, while P. E. Kessel is on 
the ground as resident manager — 
these with the experienced advise- 
ment of Pres. A. Sear'ls. form a 
strong combine whose efforts bid 
fair to achieve great results. The 
secretary — Mr. Hedler and Mr. 
Kessel their active manager are 
both interested members of our 
state association, and we extend to 
the other officers and directors of 
the company an invitation to mem- 
bership. We believe the $1.00 an- 
nual fee is a good investment for 
any cranberry grower. 
AN EXPERIENCE WITH THE 
FALSE BLOSSOM . 
My first experience with false 
blossoms was about ten years ago. 
I had one and a half acres planted 
with a popular Wisconsin variety. 
The soils varied greatly throughoul 
the section. There were spots all 
sand and in places muck a foot or 
more in depth. 
At that time the vines were 
young and sending forth runners. 
On one of the sandy areas I not- 
iced runners which seemingly pro- 
duced a cluster of uprights upon 
which there was no fruit. I was 
informed that these were false 
blossom vines and endeavored to 
eradicate them by pulling out those 
which showed that characteristic, 
for I believed, at that time, the 
false blossom vine to be a distinct 
variety which grew among the 
vines and if eradicated would leave 
the vines unmixed. For two or 
three years I continued the pulling 
out warfare, and lost out, for fin- 
ally the entire section seemed to be 
infested except about ten square 
rods near the original starting 
point. 
This small area is seemingly 
warmer on frosty nights being 
nearer the upland also favored by 
being near a ditch and probably re- 
ceives some protection from the 
blue-joint grass. It always yields 
a fine crop. Six years ago the acre 
and a half tract yielded 100 bar- 
rels but as the vines took on the 
false blossom characteristic the 
yield has rapidly fallen and is now 
practically nothing. In 1903 I se- 
lected about a quarter of an acre 
and planted to Metalic Bells, my 
object being to use it as a nursery 
plot from which to plant other 
areas. From another marsh I se- 
lected a half a peach basket full of 
vines being sure that each vine, 
when selected, held a large fine 
specimen of the variety. I cut each 
vine into pieces two or three inches 
in length and planted. With the 
use of fertilizers and care the vines 
thickened almost as rapidly as 
when the usual quantitiy of vines 
when the usual quantity of vines 
are used. The yield has been very 
heavy until about two years ago 
when a light spring f i ost destroyed 
the tender growth. Beiieving that 
the false blossom condition is usu- 
ally brought on by injury to the 
