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WISCONSIN STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
ON THE CULTIVATION OF TIIE CRANBERRY. 
Prize Essay. 
BY Ct. N. SMITH, BERLIN. 
In preparing this article on Cranberry culture, for the con¬ 
sideration of the Wisconsin State Agricultural Society, my 
aim will be to make it practical—adapted to the wants of those 
engaged in the business of growing this valuable and popular 
fruit, for which many extensive marshes, lying within the lim¬ 
its of our state, are so naturally adapted. 
Varieties. —There are two distinct species of the cranberry 
growing naturally in Wisconsin—the small Vaccinium Oxy- 
coccus , the runners of which are very fine and thread-like, 
growing from six to ten inches long. There are several varie¬ 
ties of them, and various shapes, and usually known as the 
Tamarack berry, being in form mostly spherical or cherry 
shape, of light brown color with white spots; others, in form 
and color, resemble the large or American cranbery—in qual¬ 
ity they are excellent, but the yield of fruit is so small that 
the cost of gathering almost equals their value in market. It 
flowers and ripens its fruit a few days earlier than the larger 
sorts. 
The large, or American cranberry, Vaccinium Macrocarpon , 
sends out runners from two to four feet in a season, trailing 
close to the ground, and at intervals of a few inches it forms 
roots from which the uprights spring, being from six to twelve 
inches in height and are the fruit bearing branches. The 
leaves are oblong in shape and about half an inch in length, 
and on the under side are covered with a whitish bloom. It 
flowers from the 25th of June to the 10th of July, according 
