The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-07-24
WATERMELON AT IT'S HOME.
BEST APPRECIATED IN THE REGIONS
WHERE 1T is GROWN.


Ne Can Spare 20 save the Rest of the
Crop-Picking Melons IL Like Palmistry.
The theory that things close at hand and
easy to be got are least valued does not apply
to the watermelon. for nowhere Is that linked
sweetness 30 much appreciated as out In the
country down South where 1t hourlshes like
the tree that the wicked are hkened to. Not
that everybody can raise melons In perfection.
They won't grow for some people. either be-
cause the soil isn't the right kind or because
they are cultivated too carefully or not enough.
and they turn out stunted and tasteless; but.
good, bad or Indifferent. the watermelon has
apeculiar rating among the people where 1t
grows. 1t lie regarded purely as an
~etoetera, yet as an Indispensable e%tcetera.
not used, as at the North. as a dessert
or any part OF the days meals. nor yet as a FORE
ntallInR OF tho winters need like fruits OF more
substance, but relied on for regalement In the
enforced stiffness OF sultry Moons, partaken OF
In between times OF the afternoon siesta behind
closed-in blinds. and resorted to as q before
bedtime assuagcr OF thirst. A great deal has
been said about the Negroes fondness for water
melon, u Partially widespread and universal;
but the white Southerner is as fond Of the fruit
as his black neighbor ever was or Is. and q
summer without watermelons in plenty to be
cut and dipped into with as much dlscursive-
ness and difficulty Of pleasing as the bee dis
plays In his hon~ey-hunting would seem depri-
walton indeed.
Right now. on the shelf outside OF every pan
try window or back porch. whore the sun
comes In wholesome oisturo-banishing fer
Tor, only strong enough to cure. not soorch.
are nat dishes and ~platters strewn with melon
Deeds put out to season.
"That's a good meloni Save the seeds" IL
che housewives or husbands mandate as
some especially luscious heart piece finds ia
Sor, and the word is passed on to the cooks
domains along with the great waiter OF partly
out, partly sampled melons. and the tiny repro
ducers that threaten to slip of in the flowing
Juice are captured. one by ono, and laid care
fully on the bottom OF the big platter to dry.
The having good seed is Of prime importance
and the little all black or all brown. light-tinted
or dark trimmed seeds. will each be remem-
bered by the careful seed saver. and classified
rs belonging to a certain character OF melon.
VERY tender flesh and sweet" will be
che marking on one little paper bag in which
seed is slowed. Unusually large and plugged
inside like an orange" will be pencilled on
another: and a similar looking assortment
will be labelled as very pale green outside and
OF uncommonly thin rind and bright pink
COLOR These are the memoranda to help Jog
the memory when next seasons planting time
comes round.
melon patch, as the darkies call It. is q
study in tint aud texture-the big Haunting
leaves. like felt: the CLASSY rlnds Of the fruit
glazed and cool and of tlnts varying from an all
over dark, metallic green. only family veined.
to o light straw or lemon color vandyked and
Eigzagged over with markings in a dark shade.
The little tendrils and baby sprays that shoot
out from the vines are like ferns In their
messy. fuzzy texture, and the delicate BIOS
SONS have enough green In their yellow tint to
carry out the color scheme. A patch like this.o one
solid carpet OF luXuriance. riotous yet trained.
looking as though. II you stepped into it. you
would be In verdure to the shoe tops. is a differ
ent thing from the pallid. half-starved vines
scattered about between the rows In the cotton
field or kept down to one corner Of a paled-in
garden, the leaves too scant to screen the vine
roots sufficiently from the sun while the fruit
Bwells. and only q half-stunted, deformed-
looking melon or two to each vine. Tit ideal
melon plot at time OF bearing is tempting to
the senses, and the planter who has such for
his own use. not to sci! lin conservative dis
tricts there is an old-rooted prejudice against
selling mclonsl. puts a safeguard about it that
Is better than a fence. namely. the giving out
that his melons arc to be had for the asking
enough and to spare for all on the place, II only
he may be allowed his pick OF the choicest.
"A surplus is your only protection in these
matters" such Il planter is heard to say. Saves
you annoyance. keeps everything and every
body in good humor and good working order
dnu IltktS lllt lltbib III Sl1OObi. L Slu kCI
always all the hands and all the tenants l want,
no matter in what emergency. and l dare say
that my reputation as a melon raiser has some
thing to do with 1t. Melons are not hard to
grow If you know how and are willing to take a
little trouble, and it's an easy thing enough to
make a darby happy with one"
Tho speaker is a young planter. energetic and
tacttul. who studies the conditions OF life about
him and has the name among his neiGhbors OF
pattiDp on Unll mud MAKING 81 good thing ~ II
His melons are planted in the field to the left
OF the house, Just outside the garden fence.
One moonlit July night, when there was a
say to the host that Il tenant wanted to see him,
I 66 Yong i'm f ma ! eNG riIcii h,ihseit = ana Ss Xen ro be,
negro waited. hat in hand.
"Uncie March Burns mighty sick" was his
t nSSSaS and say n;"i if '! You Ipon't MIND 3D. please e 'r te
send him q couple OBJ melon out DE patch. He
when he had come by, and his mout a-waterin
it was not a nightto refuse anybody anything
SSnI ms sapeF 6r t vas ,t t9ld to to tHo 81 the Hs patch and heir
rare and remarkable thing It was Tor permits:
sion ion to % be tt sought gdnoI in such a m anne .,t when en-
have sst :li9 I'll 5helT III GI ana noE!qayy been t6s
ehowed me the negro, character in a new light
Had been stingy with my melons and exer'
they would have felt no hesitation about rob.
bling me-"
Wat0rmelon picking is something like palm.
istry, You have rules to go by and there are
certain plain signs that mean certain things
modify the original and more conspicuous
ones. so the more you learn on the subject the
less sure of the ground you are, and only a nice
adjustment and counter balancing Of condi'
tions means success.
A man quite versed in worldly lore and ir
various difficult accomplishments once wen
into a promising melon patch with intent t
proved to be green, He had narrowly inspected
and compared with smaller, and less mature
looking specimens each of the melons before
he picked it, and was quite miffed when the
last Of hs six, on being cut open. proved. like
Its fellows, lust short OF the eating mark.
"Vicey Farrar is the best Judge Of melon or
the place; 90 in the patch with her some time
and take lessons" suggested the melon grower
30 the next afternoon. when the slanting sur
had left the patch wall In shadow and a com
fOrtnhln late-daY hrpnZe WAS scnddlnR about