The Copiah signal. (Hazlehurst, Miss.) 1882-1883, 1882-04-07
gheGopiah Signal,
Nazlehurst. Abril Z 1882
watermelon Culture


Georgia State Agricultural Society
at their late meeting, by Mr.. I. Lit
Tic. Of Richman county Georgia:
40 the person welded to the sll
cotton system Of planting, the cul-
turo Of ws,ermelons, no doubt, seems
TO be u very slight consideration;
but when il is known that hundreds
OF thousands Of melons grown in
Richmond county alone. are annually
shipped from the city Of Augusta,
besides tho large number grown in
Florida and other portions of Geor-
gia, faint idea OF the value Of that
crop can be formed. 1t is o crop
that natures and is marketed at "a
time when money is scarce with the
average farmer, and is very val
uable on that account alone, without
taking into consideration the qucs.
'ion Of great profit when well grown.
OF course, like otLer crops, the price
obtained is regulated by the supply
and demand, probably to much
greater extent than crops that are
less rorishable. i propose with the
PERMISSION Of The convention to give
the mode Of cultivation that prevails
in Richmond county so long aud
justly celebrated for the large size
and fine quality Of it's melons.
In my OPTION the beet land for a
watermelon patch is a sandy loan,
and il possible, select q piece that
has been Lying out" and has grown
up in brocmssdgs or young pines,
Pow it thoroughly during the win.
ter. having FIRST burned of tue grass,
rs the ashes OF the grass seem to
correct the sciiity Of the coil. Law
j. on twelve feet one way, and ten or
twelve the other. Dig a hole about
eighteen Inches or two feet in diam
eter, and about ten CT twelve inches
deep, drawing tie top soil out on
one siie Of the hole, md the subsoil
out on the other side. All this opor-
alton ccn be done in the winter or
early in the Spring. AS early as
possible, in the winter prepare q
compost Of about ,hree-iour.hs eta
lie manure and onc-fourth cotton
seed, TO be used as a fertilizer for the
melons. About the last Of March
Put two shovelfuls o. this compost,
together with q small handful OF
some good ammoniated supcrphos-
plate in the check already prepared
ard mix it oil thoroughly together
with hoe. Then draw in the top
coil thrown out when digging the
hole, and make the hill up in shape
Of q cone. Throw two burrows each
ride OF the hill with turn pillow, lap
ping the dirt around the base of the
core to prevent water settling around
The hill ard thereby teaching away
the manure. The patch is now ready
TO plant, and as soon as all Danger o!
frcat lie passed, take q hoe or rake
and knock OF tie top Of the conc,
leveling the hill down about two or
;hrce inches above the surrounding
surface Of the land. This is done in
order TO have Trash hill and kill any
weeds or grass that may have started.
Plant about SIX seed in q hill the
first time, and in about q week go
over tho patch again and put in three
or four more, pressing them in with
the iiuger. This ia done in order to
insure q stand and to provide agains,
any late frost. as melons are injured
by cold weather, and il would be bet
ter TO dig up and plant over, any
that may have been so checked ir
their growth. As coon ss tie plants
are large enough to admit Of stirring
tho ground around them, hoo the
bill thoroughly and thin ont TO two,
and as socn as they have formed four
Or FIVE leaves, thin down to one plant
TO tho hill, which. il you arc growing
Tor market, it is absolutely necessary
10 Lave
About this time it will be nocessa-
ry to pillow out the middles thorough
ly with a turn-plow or shovel pillow.
running as deep as possible. Keep
the Hill free from grass 10y the fire.
Cuent use OF the hcc, and each work
ing OF the midd!es must be done in
the opposite direction. Be particu-
lar never to pillow the ground when
very wet or disturb the vines when
the due is on them, but always work
when the ground in dry. In "laying
by" Il melon patch it is customary in
Richmond county, when the vines
have nearly met or have commenced
TO set their fruit. to carefully set the
" ip.a ,aneila IN,,-, ,,,N ,f na.b .1lo.