Cranberry-Culture. 
497 
All intelligent cultivators agree as to the importance of scalping 
marshes that are to be planted to vines. This work is cheaply and 
speedily done, with a machine which I have invented, if the marsh 
is firm enough to bear horses by clogging their feet. This machine 
can be gauged so as to cut from two to ten inches in depth, and 
from thirty to thirty-four or five inches in width, and with four 
good horses will scalp five acres per day. These turf scalpings may 
be turned over, or rolled up, then dried and burned or drawn off in 
winter to the compost heap. If they are to be burned, the scalping 
should be done early enough to have the full benefit of any dry 
time that may follow. When a clean surface has been secured in 
any way, the vines may be planted. The best mode of planting I 
have yet discovered, is to cut into the bog with an adze. A spade- 
blade, shaped to the proper angle and handled, would I think be a 
good tool to make the cuts with. With either of these tools make 
a slanting cut, leaving the slice so that it can be raised with one 
hand and with the other, slide the bunch of vines under and spread 
them the width of the cut; press down with the foot and the work 
of planting is done. Vines so planted often push out runners a foot 
or more in length the first year and look as though they would 
soon cover the ground, even though planted three feet apart. 
It is not absolutely necessary to have these plants flowed until 
the third winter, unless insects should make their appearance, work¬ 
ing or feeding on the vines. In this case the land should be flowed 
up to the last of May or first of June. This will prevent the first 
brood hatching in any considerable number. This first brood of 
insects makes its appearance about the middle of May, feeds on 
sage or vines not covered with water, and grows to maturity, ties 
itself up in its cocoon and passes the chrysalis state. The last of 
July or first of August, it often appears in vast numbers, devour¬ 
ing sage and cranberry-plants to such an extent as to almost de¬ 
stroy the entire crop of fruit. But if the marshes and plants can 
be completely covered with water, it will be impossible for the cran¬ 
berry insect to become very numerous and destructive, unless ad¬ 
joining marshes are made nurseries for its propagation, and the 
millers fly from one to the other. The insect deposits its eggs as 
freely on sage-plants as on the cranberry, and the young worms 
feed and grow as fast on one as on the other, hence all natural 
marshes are quite sure to be stocked with them to some extent. 
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