Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1844-05-28
From the Michigan Farmer.
CULTIVATION OF MELONS, sc.

/ w IL 4 n lCAS ~ 49,
Who does not like good melon? Per-
haps negative would never be given in
answer. For person 10 live, year after
wear, without iruit so delicious, and, |
Knight add. so easily obtained, would be
The height Of folly.
| In this Stale i,requires greater manage
mcnt 10 produce melons, than in more
southern latitude. Our summers are short,
bal in ibis case nature produces more
rapid growth of vegetation. Melons can
be cultivated here, as well ss in other places
where the season is much longer. With
proper care all difficulties may DC overcome,
and the rewards of our labor will be de-
lighiiul as our care has been watchful.-
Now, reader, fyou wish TO know (provid-
ing you do not already, how TO raise good
mclons-and not only melons, but cucum-
bers alsa--lct me try TO inform you.
Melons require a warm, rich and sandy
soil. When YOU have selected your place
or patch of ground for Them 10 be sure that
the ground is well cultivated, made rich,
and free from weeds. This done, let us
commence as early in the season as posi-
BILE, in The month Of April, (but early in
May will do, dig holes in the ground abou,
two feet in diameter, and from fifteen 10
eighteen inches deep; fill the holes with
fresh manure from the barnyald, manure
unfermcnied,) and pound i, down hard, SO
that tho top Of it will be about level
with the top Of the ground-pu, on a cover
ing Of about three or four inche. good
rich garden mould, then about one inch Of
fine sand; plant your seeds, and cover them
with sand about an inch deep. When this
is done haze small boxes, (made SO as 10
cover the hill, about four inches deep, with
no bottom to them, and put pane Of! glass
in the top of them. Place them on the
hill, and have tho glass inclined so tina, the
suns rays will strike directly on the hills
The box should be removed in the middle
OF warm days SO as to give fresh air to the
plants. The boxes should be us, d until
the weather becomes so warm that the
plants will need no protection whatever
Planted In this way, the manure in the
hills will ierment and produce heat from
below the plants, and the suns rays will
produce from above, so that the seeds will
vegetate and grow as well as in md-sum-
mer, and the boxes will keep off the striped
bug which so much Injuries the growth,
until the plants become so strong that they
cannot injufc them. Melons, treated in
this way, have never known to fral.-
Cucambers treated in the same way, are
equal y productive; but iale planting needs
not SO much manure in the hill, and can
dispense with the boxes unless the bugs
become SO troublesome rs TO iniure the
plant while tender, when they become
necessary; but should be removed early in
the morning.
The boxes can be made by any farmer
or mechanic that can use hammer and n
saw; and all the expense will be the glass
and nails. the boards comparatively moth
ing-which cannot exceed SIX pence for
each hill, and with careful usage will last
may years.
Those persons who have tried the above
mode, arc aware Of its advantages; to those
who have not, would say, give i, lair
trial, and to those who do not believe tha,
any improvements, can be made, and will
no, make them, why, have nothing to
say. A1RICoLA.