Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-04-12

Col / c. Lakely, one Of the most sue
cessfll watermelon growers in Georgia,
has, in compliance with our request,
kindly supplied Us with paper, relative
to his methods Of managing the crop. We
could have preferred that the paper re-
late specially to melon culture in Texas,
but knowing no prominent grower here
we addressed Col. Lakely; but really
then, the principle is about the same
everywhere, hence successful melon cul-
ture in Georgia if worked exactly on the
same plan in Texas could rot prove 9TH
elNTise than everything desired.
The first thing" says Col. Lalely, 'is
the soil upon which YOU are to plant. A
soil Slightly sandy, if reasonably rich, or
made reasonably rich, is considered best.
Any good and well-drained soil may be
made to give entire satisfaction, but the
heavy clay soil calls for u slight differ
ence in its preparation for the crop.
The second thing is the preparation. The
land must, in every case, be deeply
broken and thoroughly pulverized. There
are persons who seem TO think that a
hole deeply dug out for the hill fills
every requirement, but this is, most EN-
phatically, mistake. It IS the nature Of
the watermelon to run its roots into the
soil fully as far as its vines run atop Of
it. Then the watermelon is o tap-root
plant, sending series of roots well down
into the soil 10 find that moisture which
enables it to flourish to perfection through
the dryest of weather." We may here run
in 4 statement made by Mr.. 1. 3. Root, the
noted Illinois melon grower, as follows:
DR.. Livingstone, in his African travels,
tells Us of passing for tweuty-one days
through one continuous field Of wild water
melons on plains otherwise quite barren.
The winter rains, which in that latitude
are warm, Sprout the seeds, when the tap
root at once strikes downward until it
reaches horizon of permanent moisture,
Just as il does with US. Reaching this
moisture the drouth of the African sum
mer cannot kill the plant, but enables it
to produce fruit of unusually fine quality.
In quite u similar way does II flourish on
our own prairies, varying in the fact that
il calls upon man to plant, till and protect
il from such weed and grass enemies as
do not exist on those African plains.
Heat is nothing whatever against the
il has facilities for getting down its tap
root. Then that very heat and drouth
which gives an abundant WELD and superior
quality, also creates in man an appetite for
the fruit.
MANY melon growers continues Col
Laliely, "seem TO have some idea of that
tap root business, and this idea may be the
thing causing them TO dig out deep hole
for each hill. Those holes are q mistake
They gather water with each rain, which,
should the ground be of clayey character,
stands in them as in a basin, until it stag
mates more or less. Any such conditions as
this seriously damage the plants. A deep
hole is always needed, sure enough, but it
must be big hO!e-large enough to en-
brace the entire patch without breaks. In
word, the soil must not be broken deeper
at one point than another; it must all &c
pulverized well down-fully twelve inches
is not deeper than necessary for frst-ciaSs
success in watermelon culture.
Check off your rows 50 rs 10 have your
hills ten feet apar1 each way. This is the
prevailing rule, though for myself, would
prefer twelve feet. You might get more
melons by planting nearer together than
twelve or even ten feet, bu: they would
not be so large. 1t is the large melons,
even though in smaller numbers, that
brings in his profits TO the grower. People
always pick for the largest melons, and
they are usually willing to pay for them IS
large melons. For local trade one can
usually run off goodly number Of small
melons, at low figures, but it will never
pay to ship small melons long distance;
besides should there be fair local trade
for small melons you will be sure to have
enough of them to meet the demand with
out attempting TO raise them. Plant as
you may there will always be considera-
bic sprinkling Of small me!ous. Every
melon grower should set his plans for only
large melons, allowing the small melons to
come OF themselves, q thing they win be
sure 10 do.
And now you are ready to plant, and