nter's frost, it becomes
pulverized and will not again bake. Hence it is next to sand for a
cranberry bed.

_Situation._--The shore of a body of water, or of a small pond is best,
if it be not too much exposed to violent action of wind and waves. Land
that retains much moisture within a foot of the surface, but which does
not become stagnant, is very valuable. The bottoms of small ponds that
can be drained off are very good. Any land that can be flowed with water
at pleasure is good. By flooding, the blossoms are kept back till late
spring frosts are gone. Any upland can be prepared as above. But if it
be a very dry soil it must have a liberal supply of water during dry
weather, or success may not be expected.

_Planting._--There are several methods. Sod planting consists in
preparing the land and then cutting out square sods containing vines,
and setting them at the distances apart, you desire. This was the
general method; but it is objectionable, on account of the weeds that
will grow out of the sod and choke the vines. This method is improved by
tearing away the sod, leaving the roots naked, and then planting.
Another method is to cut off a vigorous shoot, and plant the middle of
it, with each end protruding from the soil two or three inches apart.
Roots will come out by all the leaves that are buried, and promote the
springing of many new vines, and thus the early matting of the bed which
is very desirable.

Others take short slips and thrust four or five of them together down
into the soil as they do slips of currant bushes, thus making a hill of
as many plants. And yet another method is, to cut up the vines into
pieces of two or three inches in length, and broad cast them on mellow
soil, and harrow them in as wheat--Others bury the short pieces in
drills. In either case they will soon mat the whole ground, if the land
be not weedy. The best plan for small beds is probably the middle
planting.

Distances apart depend upon your design in cultivating. If your soil is
such that so many weeds will grow as to require cultivating with a
horse, or much hoeing, four feet one way and two the other is the best.
Better have land so well covered with clean sand, that very few weeds
will grow and no cultivation be needed. Then set vines one foot apart
and very soon the whole ground will be perfectly matted and will need
very little care for years. For two or three years pull out the weeds by
hand, and the ground will be co