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Show H i ' GROUND FOR MUSKMELONS SHOULD BE HEAVILY FERTILIZED THE growing of muakmelons as a commorclal crop has boen attempted with varying do- 1 grces of success in many soc- tioni outsido of tho recognized dls- tricta making a spoclalty of this crop H There is practically no limit within H reasonablo bounds of tho general H farming districts In which the musk- H melons can be grown successfully if duo attention Is given to tho details of H planting and cultivation. The first H roqulslto of success is careful selection of seed. It is always advisable to save seed from one's own crop, selecting H from thoso Individual melons which nhow a high degice of vitality and H which possess the finest flavor, ccord- H ing to a correspondent of the American H Agriculturist. H Aftor the selection of the seed comes H the choosing of proper location and H soil conditions In regions whore there H is danger of late frosts the best places H are just south of some good wlnd- H break. Hero it Is warmer and a more H even temperature prevails In spring H This tends to guard against cool H weather at tho boglnnlng of tho grow- H ing season Tho next best place is on H a knoll or raised Hat in a hollow or a H slough. Here It is warm, and the soil is usually fertile and a good supply of H moisture available. Either a sandy or H black soil will raiso good muskmelonn, H and cither should be heavily fertilized H To prove tho importance of fcrtlllz- Ing muskmclons the following oxperi- H ments were made: About a hundred H hills of melons- woro planted. The H land upon w hlch a portion of those was H planted had received a very heavy H coating of manure the year beforo, an- H other portion had roceived no fcrtlliza- tlon, whllo tho third portion was hcav- lly fertilized Just provlous to planting H This third section averaged two good H felons to tho hill, while neither of tho H )thers yielded a single melon. H After tho ground has been plowed H deeply and harrowed well mark It off n nnd plant the hills four feet apart each H way. If they arc planted closor than H this there will not be room enough H to cultivato between them, nnd if H planted farther apart an ordinary cul- H tlvator will not cover all tho ground H between, and thus a good opportunity H will bo given for weeds to 'grow. This H, planting four feet each way will give H 2.720 hllls to tho acro entn C which H should raise from two to three good H melons. Even figuring one melon to H the hill markctod at 8 cents apioce tho H rrturn will be 5217.60 per acre. Heavy m production will bo stimulated If at the M tlmo of planting a handful of some H commercial fertilizer or a small quan- H Hty of well pulverized barnyard raa- H nuro Is added to each hilL Whon this M Is done the hill should bo well watered M nd the soil well packed around the Plow the Ground Deeplu, p:!--. Profit of $27 an Acre Harrow Well and Plant In Hills M . - ' KJ Figured lf the Helons Are Four Feet Apart Each Way, Uk " J K ,, M Properly Cultivated and Mar- Giving 2.720 Hills to the Acre Wf 'g'-l&f V ' " 'A 7Z: W keted at Onlg 5 Cents Each .Photocraph by Lone Island agricultural experiment' station. ' -2-C. "h-aC-v-A- Xn- THIS BUNCH OF LUSCIOUS BEAUTIES WAS GROWN ON LONG ISLAND m seed so that the roots will enter the rich soil at once. Hotbeds and cold frames are not necessary except to raise a few plants for filling in hills which did not properly germinate under un-der field conditions, thus insuring a perfect 6tand. Dopendlng somewhat upon location and upon tho condition of tho weather, the field planting can be dono any time from May 5 to Juno 15. "When raising only small quantities, so that in case of cool nights the plants can be covered, It la usually better to plant early and run the risk of late frosts It i3 always a good plan to test the seeds for germination In planting three or four tested seeds per hill will be sufficient. They should bo covered about ono Inch deop with well pulverized pulver-ized soil. If there Is a crust on the soil It should bo broken and the surface sur-face well pulverized at about tho time the seeds germinate, so that the first leaves will not have to push their way through this hard surface -rust Cultivation Cul-tivation should be continuous and a flno surface mulch maintained until tho vines have covered tho ground bo that further cultivation is impossible. |