A Wisconsin Cranberry Farm

The American Magazine thus describes the cranberry farm of G. B. Sackett, of Berlin, Wis., a son of Mrs. H. Louisa Sackett, of thia city : The farm is situated four miles north of that village, and comprises l,G00 acres, nearly all of which is a verkable bog, and is covered with a natural and luxuriant growth of cranberry vines. A canal has been cut from the Fox river to the southern limit of the marsh, a distance of 4,400 feet. It is forty-five feet wide, and the water stands in it a depth of nine feet, sufficient to float fair-sized steamboats. At the intersection of the canal with -the marsh, steam water works have been erected, with flood-gates and dams by means of which the entire marsh may be flooded to a depth of a foot or more when desired. There are two engines of 150-horse power each, and two pumps that are capable of raising 80,000 gallons per minute. When, in early autumn, the meteorologiual conditions indícate the approach of frost, the pumps may be put to work in the afternoon and the berries be effectually covered by water and thus protected before nightfall. At gunrise the gates are opened and the water allowed to run off again, so that the pickers may proceed with their work. The marsh is flooded to a depth of about two feet at the beginning ot eaeh winter and allowed to remain so until spring, the upheaval that would result from freezing and thawing, a natural process, which, if permitted, works injury to the vines. There is a three-story warehouse on the mareh, with a capacity of 20,000 barrels of berries, and four large two-story houses capable of furnishing shelter for 1,500 pickers. ' The superintendente residence is a comfortable cottage house, surrounded by giant oaks and elms, and stands near the warehouse on an "island," or small tract of high, dry land near the center of the great marsh. The pickers' quarters stand on another island about 200 yards away. A plank roadway, birlt on piles, about two feet above the" level of the ground, leads from the mainland to the warehouse and other buildings, a distance of more than half a mile. Several wooden railways diverge from the marsh to all parts of the warehouse.and on them flat cars propelled by hand, are sent out at intervals duriDg the picking season to bring in the berries from the hands of the piekers. E?ch pieker is provided with a crate holding just one bushei, which is kept close at hand. The berries are first picked into tin pans and pails, and from these emptied into the crates, in which they are carried to the warehouse, where an empty crate is given the pieker in exchange for a full one. Thus equipped and improved, the Sackett marsh is valued at $150,000. Thirteen thousand barrels have been harvested from tbis farm in a single season. The selling price in the market varies, in different seasons, from $8 to $16 per barrel. Cranbernes sent to the Southern markets are put up in water-tight packages, and the cases arethen filled with water, this being the only means by which they can be kept in hot weather. Even in this condition they can only be kept a few days lifter reaching hot climates. The programme for the fourth annual encampment of the G. A. R. Association of Southeastern Michigan, to be held at Adnan, August 30th and 31st, Sept. lst and 2nd, is out and can be had by applying to Sec. Grus F. Smith, of Jonesville. The list of prizes is about the same as last year with the addition of one for the best drum corps. Gen. Phil Sheridan has promised to be present, as have also the following gentlemen: Gov. Luce and Staff, Ex-Govenor Blair, Senators Palmer, Stockbridge, Ex-Govenor Alger, Col. N. B. Eldridge, Hon. James O'Donnel, E. P. Allen, Lieut. L. H. Salsbury, Col. L. G. Rutherford, Department Commandet, A. P. Morse and others. The programme ia a very attractive one and a highly successful encampment is aesured. Posts intending to be present should make early applïcationsïor tents, which will be furnished free, supplied with straw, to all G. A. R. Posts, veterans and militia. "Mr. and Mrs. Bullion called this afternoon, sor." "Too bad; and we were out. Did they leave any message?" "Yes, sor : he said, 'Good, good ; teil him I'm so sorry he were not atnome."