_PUBLISHED BY_
BRADLEY FERTILIZER CO.
BOSTON
[Illustration: PICKING CRANBERRIES ON THE OLD COLONY CO.’S CRANBERRY
BOG AT SOUTH YARMOUTH, MASS.]
WEST DENNIS, Mass., Oct. 19, 1891.
Having had the superintendency of preparing and setting to vines
what is called the “Old Colony cranberry bog,” which contains
about 25 acres, I have had occasion to use the different kinds of
commercial fertilizers sold on the market, and of them all I now
use the Bradley.
It has proved a great help in starting our new vines, giving them a
vigorous growth and bringing the bog into bearing much earlier than
would have been the case had Bradley’s fertilizer not been applied.
We think very highly of your fertilizer, and recommend its use
by cranberry-growers generally. The photograph you have of our
cranberry bog will give some idea of what we are doing.
REUBEN BAKER, _Sup’t._
R. A. BAKER, _Treas._
_Copyrighted by Bradley Fertiliser Co., 1892._
The Cranberry.
This book is not intended to be a scientific or elaborate treatise
upon the Cranberry, but rather a book of practical suggestions, and
a summary of helpful hints that may prove of benefit to those who
undertake to grow this fruit.
The methods of growing Cranberries vary with localities and growers,
and are undoubtedly in an experimental state at the present time. The
original Cranberry grower was the owner of some wild and uncultivated
patch where, in a natural condition, the berries (receiving no
attention until picking time) were gathered “at halves,” meeting
little or no market beyond the limits of the locality in which they
grew.
The modern grower has found the application of improved methods of
cultivation and fertilization to pay liberally with the Cranberry,
as with every other crop, and it should be his endeavor, through all
available methods, to reduce the cost of growing and increase the
yield of berries per acre, giving special attention to such culture
as may the better secure the _keeping quality_ of the fruit.
In order to do this, the grower may have to lay aside his
preconceived notions as to the best methods of growing and
fertilization, and possibly even discard some which have in years
past been approved by leading growers. By a careful selection of
varieties best adapted to each particular locality, or frequently
by a larger increase in the depth of sand upon the bog, and then by
the greatest care in all that pertains to the picking and packing
of the fruit, he will be enabled to maintain for the Cape berries a
foremost reputation as “keepers” among those who handle this valuable
crop. Too little attention has heretofore been paid to this essential
feature, and quantity rather than quality has been sought. When
secured, the berries, as a general thing, are hurriedly packed at the
bog, usually warm from the vines, and so, oft-times, they are almost
ruined before reaching a market. This practice is largely responsible
for the prejudice of some dealers against Cape berries.
Again, improved methods of cultivation by which an increased
production, with improved quality, may be secured, are certainly
desirable to every individual grower; though the present enormous
crop would hardly seem to warrant a larger acreage, yet, at the same
time, it behooves every grower to make as productive as possible (in
view of the great expenditure) each acre already under cultivation.
The matter here presented is the result of thorough investigation
into the methods of cultivation as practised by the most successful
growers, and we believe it presents facts to the grower which will
prove well worthy of his careful attention.