The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1874-07-23
? Exclusive MUSIC STORE
VINES.--LATE CULTURE, SOIL, ETC.
From the Western Rurdl.

Many persons are troubled with
weeds in their fields ofmelons, cucum-
bers and other running vines. This
is not only an eyesore, but seriously
lessons the production, both in size
and weight of the crop. We have
always been successful with the
cucumber tribe, both for market and,
in later years, with the small patches
raised for family use.
We know melons to be one of the
most healthful of the vegetable fruits
Of the garden during the heat of sum-
mer, if picked early in the morning
and when perfectly ripe, and eaten
the same day. AS exposed for sale
in city markets, the interior Jared to
a pulp and sodden, perhaps, from
long carriage and many days expos
ure, as is too often the case, they are
entirely unfit for human food.
When the vines have made run
ners to distance Of two or three feet,
pass along the row. and either with
the handle of a rake or the hands
lift the runners and lay them over to
the other side. Passing back the
next row, lay the runners over the
other way. Thus you have one land
ready for the pillow. Now pillow to
the hills or ridges, throwing the
earth we'll up to the vines, clean
ing out the center if necessary with
the horse hoe. Dress around the hill
if necessary, turn the vines back to
their places and so proceed with the
next rows until the whole field is
finished.
For cucumbers, nutmeg melons,
summer squash, etc., that are planted
from four to six feet apart, the horse
hoe alone will be sufficient, and il
they have been planted in squares,
continued cultivation both ways will
result in fiat, square hills correspond
ing to the width of the plants apart.
Winter squashes that are planted ten
to twelve feet apart will have CORES
pondingly wide hills, and the cost Of
cultivation will be diminished one.
half.
When the vines have run two or
three feet, if not before or immediate.
ly after the last blowing, pinch the
ends of the leading runners. This
will cause them to throw out laterals
upon which the fruit is borne; these
again may be pinched when they
have run two or three feet, if the
growth be strong. If this plan be
persistently practiced, the hills may
be frequently saturated, say once a
week, with weak liquid manure, and
occasionally with water in which a
quarter of a pound of salt-petre to
each barrelful of water has been dis.
solved.
Although all the melon family will
stand a considerable amount Of
drouth, they all like plenty of water
and must have it to insure a good
crop. 1t is also a fallacy to suppose
that they should be grown only on
poor soil. They require great heat to
perfect the crop, and this is best at
tanned on light sands, which are usual.
ly poor. These soils, then, are the
most favorable if thoroughly enriched
in the hill with a half bushel of good
compost; but melons do we'll on a
prairie soil, if it be not a decidedly
clayey one.
A good rule to follow, not only
with vines, but with many plants re-
curing warm, well-drained soil, is,
the sitter the soil the higher the ridge
or hill upon which the crop is grown ;
but the hill must in no case be drawn
just about the plant, leaving the bal
ance fiat between the rows; the hills
in ridges must comprise the whole
soil halfway from one row of plants
to another, leaving dead furrow in
the center, between. Thus, no mat
ter how high they are made, there is
no danger of their drying out. In
deed, thus treated, they are not so
subject to drouth, since they have q
greater depth of porous soil, to hold
moisture, than when fiat culture is
observed. -....
WET BooTs.-The .Ag'scult4rist
gives the following advice to farmers