The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1872-05-03
Culture Of the Watermelon.

There is no fruit that enters so
largely into the daily consumption
Of our people as the melon, and none
so little understood or appreciated
in its culture. Afne-favored water
or muskmelon should not be planted
within one hundred yards of any
other melon or any of the melon
family. Gourds, squashes and Gu
cumbers should never be planted in
the same garden or field with melons,
for the volatile nature of the pollen
of each will mix, making hybrids Of
the next generation, giving the
melon gourdy, squashy flavor, and
softening the shell of the gOurd.
The melon delights in a sandy soil,
and to have them in their greatest
perfection the ground should be
deeply spaded or subsoil -plOwed.
| The hills should be about ten feet
apart. The watermelon vine is very
subject to injury from water; heavy
and long-continued ranis give the
vine the appearance of having been
scalded, hence the necessity OF plant
ing on hills instead of on a level.
Holes should be excavated and fill
ed in with well-rotted manure, with
a mound made over the top at least
twelve inches higher in the center
than outside. On the center Of this
mound plant the seed-plant some
six or eight-and when they have
four leaves, thin out to three plants
in a hill. AS the vines begin to run.
branch and bloom, pinch out the
terminal bud, which will throw the
whole vigor of the vine into the
young fruit Just set. AS the fruit
increases in size take off all but one
to q branch, and allow but one mel
on to ripen on ono branch vine. Al
overloaded melon vine will produce
but inferior fruit. The cultivation
should bear in mind that the roots
of melons run just as fast and far al
the vine extends; that the practice
Of laying back vines over the hills
and blowing deeply between th'
hills is very injurious to the crop
The melon ground cannot be broker
too deep before the vines begin t.
run; but it is a positive injury to tn
vine for the pillow to go three inches
below the surface over which tn,
vine has already run. Great car
should be taken in handling tn,
vines when working them with tn
hoe. For every tendril broken o
bruised on the vine the fruit is re
, tarded in it's maturity. Keep tn
/ - oloo o,,o1,DI 4bo ry1pog IN,
5 as fast as the vine elongates brancl
} peg it down, so that the winds ma,
2 not blow them about and break them
, If the striped bug is troublesom
b. mix one portion of guanO or strOni
f hen manure to two of gypsum, an
| dust over the vines while the dew
on, and the bugs will quickly depart
The first melon that sets on the win
:. will mature in four weeks from tn
time of setting; the second setting
, in about three weeks. AS the seasO
advances they will mature in les
= time than three weeks. Fine crop
: of melons are made by using brus
for the vines to run on and cling to
The seed of the first melon tina
.. ripens should be saved for next sea
= sons planting, provided that
= grew where no other member ofth
= melon family could impregnate il
/ Heavy crops Of melons may be pre-
. duced by watering every alternat
3 day with liquid made Of the clean
} ing of hen roOsts mixed with water
5 and soaked until the water ferment
f ed. Half pint was poured on eacl
l hill at time, and the offensive odo
. drove AWAY nearly all the bugs.