Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1854-05-25
CULTIVATION OF THE MELON.

The article below, on Melon raising is from
the Farmer e. Visitor, and was written by
Levi Bartlett, Esq. of Warner, one of our
most scientific, practical farmers -
Being in Danvers, Mass, in Sept 1852, in
company with that veteran in the cause of
agricultural improvements, the Hon. j. W.
Proctor, we visited few of the highly cult
waited farms in that ancient town. Among
others, we visited the farm and nurseries OF
NJ. 4. Needham & Son. One, among the
many things of interest we saw, was, the
great numbers of musk and water-melons, of
the largest size, grown in that summer of
drouth, on the top and sides of dry, gray
ely hillock. How such crop Of melons
could have grown upon such barren looking
soil-or rotten gravel was to us a mystery,
till Mr. N. solved it by kindly giving us an
account Of his method of cultivation, which,
in substance, was something like this:
In the spring the ground was deeply stirred
by the pillow, &c. Then at suitable distances
for the hills-(6 Or 8 feet) two or three BUSH
els Of the soil are thrown out, and the holes
mostly filled with well rotted swamp muck
compost; the amount of manure used in the
compost that season, was very small, indeed
so much SO, that he thought the muck alone,
would be quite as good as compost in which
large proportion Of manure had been mix.
ed.
To grow in perfection the several kinds Of
melons here at the North, requires much heat
and moisture. Land that is naturally wet is
too cold for ripening Them that which is Of
dry, sandy, or gravelly texture is usually
considered the most suitable. But in very
dry seasons the plants suffer greatly, when
planted in the usual way, for want of mois-
ture, and sometimes to the ruin of the crops.
In the cultivation of the melon the past
summer, we followed the course pursued by
MIR. Needham, which resulted in our growing
altogether the largest crop of fine, early ri
pened melons that we have ever grown; and
we presume, similar method would succeed
equally well, for the cucumber, squash, toma.
to and eggplant.
Muck and peat soils, from their texture
above all Others possess the power of retain.
ing moisture which is so necessary to the sic.
cessful growth of the melon. Dark colored
soils absorb the heat Of the sun most rapidlv
and therefore become warm soonest Thew
attain, also, higher temperature bv severaI
degrees, than soils Of a light color Soils al.
so differ greatly in their power of retaining
the heat they have absorbed.
A sandy soil will cool more slowly than q
clay, and the latter than soil which is rich
in vegetable matter. The difference. accord
ing to ochubler, is SO great that a peaty sol
cools as much in one hour as the same bulk O.
cay in two, or of sand in three. From thu
above facts it will be seen that Mr.. Needham
by his course of culture, has brought about
the right conditions to insure good crop o.
melons here at the North. He selects dry
sandy or graveIiy soil, with a southern ex.
posure) which retains the warmth impaired
by the sun longer than any other; in this
sandy soil he deposits two or three bushels o.
prepared muck, which possesses the quality O.
retaining moisture over that of other solsanC
also, of absorbing earlier in the day the
warmth impaired by the sun, and though il
parts with its heat sooner than other soils, thai
Joss will in some degree be compensated by
the surrounding sandy soil, whose long retain
ed heat will be in measure impaired to the
muck, and thus the highest possible degree O.
temperature is kept up in common, or oper
field culture.
Mr.. N. claims no "patent right for this
method Of growing the melon, all that choose
may pursue his course Farmers in the coun.
try, just set about this matter! IF you a..
ready have not the prepared muck on hand
soon as the snow is off collect load or two
Tor leaf mold from the wood-lot, mix in ash.
es and manure, throw over the heap two OF
tnfee times between this and planting time
,aen pursue Mr.. Ms course Of culture, and
loarlng gruos and bugs) you may reasonably
Ap:u' lor .ae use and qualification of your