Show cranberry thrives best in acid peat muck soil the cheery little cranberry once called cran eberry because its blossoms resemble a cranes head and neck is not modest in its requirements it demands low lying land saturated with water prefers acid peat or muck soil there must be reservoirs to constantly feed t thirsty hirsty fields through miles of radiating canals to flood marshes quickly against killing frosts and as a measure of insect control states a writer in prairie farmer it must have winter protection just before heavy frost reservoirs are opened and vines vine s covered they lie snug through winter beneath a blanket of ice they must have a blanket of sand too one inch thick atop the ice to settle gently but firmly around vines in spring when the ice goes out to absorb heat and help keep frost away to discourage w weed eed growth to give old runners a chance to and thus renew the bog marshes are drained in the spring and from short mother vines new s shoots hoots creep buds swell and send out a short shoot upon which pink waxen blossoms bloom when petals fall tiny berries emerge to grow and slowly their color fades from green to creamy white to coral pink while the rare and vigorous flavor develops within gathered dried and boxed cooler weather turns the berries full flavored and a rich ruby red |