Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1873-08-13
Culture OF Melons.

It is rather surprising that there are not
more melons raised. We do not say
planted for our experience is that the
majority of farmers, where corn is raised,
do plant melons, but fail to properly care
for them. IF the soil be the ordinary
prairie soil, with but a moiety of sand in
it, the rid ges should be raised as high as
possible, by blowing the soil into lands OF
the required width between hills. This
may be about ten feet where land is plen-.
ty, although eight feet will be sufficient If
the vines are properly pinched back.
If the soil be very heavy quantity OF
river or other sand should be used in each
hill, and, as rule, the colder and more
heavy the soil the higher the hill or ridge
upon which the melons are planted. If
these precautions are taken, there need be
no fear but that the melons will germin-
ate, grow and ripen properly, if due care
be exercised in protecting the young
plants from insects, and in the after cuitl-
walton. There is no reason why every
farmer should not raise an ample supply
of both water and musk-melOns. AS they
are usually found in the markets of our
large cities Ito which they have been
freighted, perhaps by rail, long distances),
there are few fruits more Objectionable; ;
but picked in the cool of the morning,
while yet the dew is on the fruit, and laid
in cool cellar until the heat of the day,
there is no fruit that is more cooling, re
freshing or healthful; and to the farmer,
when heated with the toll and labor Of the
harvest, most especially SO; but to be
wholesome they must be eaten fresh from
the vines. s'
The great difficulty in the cultivation Of
melons and indeed Of all cucurbitaceous
plants, is the depredations of the striped
bugs. These may be prevented in a
variety of ways the most effectual of
which are picking by hand, or trapping
under chips ETC., at their first appearance.
If this be done early in the morning while
the plants are wet with dew, but little
difficulty will be experienced, especially
if the precaution be taken to plant the
seeds of the succulent leaved squash near
the hill upon which the beetles will con-
| gregate in preference to the melons. If
this picking be persisted in, it will save
much trouble with the second broods later
The larvae of this pest also feed upon the
base of the plant and hence the necessity
of destroying the first or parent beetles.
| Other means of destroying these depfe-
dators are protecting with boxes covered
with millinet, and by means of various
| powders and solutions. Paris green and
| flour or some other divisor in the proper
ton of one Of the former to twenty or
thirty of the latter we have found of value,
but care must be taken in the use of this
| Ylrulent poison, since, if used plentifully,
is apt to injure plants it is applied to, es-
| peclaliy WatermelOnS. AS an auxiliary,
| plaster, ashes, guano, or other fertilizers,
that will enhance the young growth and
thus get it out of the way of insects, will
! be OF value, for after rough leaves are
made these pests are apt to leave the vines
for more succulent growths. This with
frequent hoeing is of the first Importance
Of varieties for family use,. the Noun
| tain Sweet is one of the best and most pro-
ductive red-feshed sorts, and moderately
early. Ice Cream is good, yellow-feshed
variety. The Orange melon is a good,
early sort. The Persian melon seems to
be identical with the old, White Spanish,
| and the Japanese is new sort, sweet,
crisp, with cream colored flesh and very
thin rind. OF musk melons, the n utmeg,
| if pure, is good enough for every day use
Suttons Tom Thumb is the earliest, and
the Hunter is the best, large, green eshed
melon we have ever tried but it does not
ripen until the latter part of the season
II the first plants do not succeed, replant
even until the middle of June, for a fully
ripe, really fresh melon, is one Of the best
and most healthy of fruits within reach of
the farmer.-W Western RUr01.