The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-05-23
Cultivation of watermeIons.

AS soon as the seed are well up they
should be thinned down to three or four
plants to the hill, and little later to one
vigorous plant. Some growers are in the
habit of leaving two vines to the hiI but,
while by this practice they certainly get
more vines, and sometimes, too, more mel
ons, the latter are always smaller and less
salable than when one lusty vine has the
hill and the fertilizer all to itself.
After the first heavy rain following
planting, with its compacting effect, it will
be well to break out the "middles" This
should be done with a "twister," throwing
the furrow to the bed on either side and
finishing with a water row." which will
serve, on low level land to thoroughly
drain the beds. After this the crop should
be worked entirely with the cutivator or
scrape, and very lightly. The first work.
ing may be across or at right angle to
the rows; the next parallel with them.
These two workings WILL if the vines
grow rapidly, probably be all that can be
given, for as soon as the vines have run
sufficiently to get in the way cultivation
should cease.
Old melon growers never plow their plats
while the dew is on the vines, but wait
until midday before putting in the piow. To
what extent the crop would be injured Of
at AID by early morning cultivation yet re-
mains to be proVed-and TO search for the
cause before the fact is established, would
be useless. Yet general customs can US
ually be traced to some logical cause and
II is just as easy to observe this practice
OF our torefathers as to violate it-until it
is proved to be unnecessary or inadvisable.
Never under any circumstances, turn a
vine. More will be lost by so doing than
Will be gained by giving the plat an extra
cultivation. This is another ancestral prac-
tice and doubtless arises from the fact that
vines when turned are apt to be carelessly
handled. If returned gently and deity 10
their original position it is difficult to real
lie bow they would be injured. Any weed
ing that is found necessary after this time
should be effected with a scythe blade,
topping off the tops of the weeds above
the vines. They should not even be pulled
out by hand on account of the danger of
mutilatinS the vines, which generally hold
them in tight embrace with their ten
drlls. Indeed, rather than risk disturbing
a vine it would be preferable to leave the
weeds and the melons to have it OUT be-
tween them; for a few Wel-anchored
weeds, here and there, prove rather ben
eilt IMAM detriment, since they prevent
the winds from rolling up and ma ting the
vines.
But better than weeds is a light sowing
OF cowpeas-a peck TO the acre-broadcast-
ca Just before the last cultivation and
plowed in thereby. The best pea for this
purpose is some upright. SLOW growing va
riety, as Whippoorwll or New Era. Be
sides the anchorage which the peas give
the vines. they also serve to partially shade
the melons from the scorching md-sum-
mer suns, and are of great benefit, man
uI4dlIy, 20 the ensuing crop, whatever it
may be-
The watermelon bears it's fruit directly
on the main Whenever on its laterals as
does the muskmelon. For this reason some
growers make a practice of clipping off the
iaterals as they form, thinking that there
oy they throw the strength of the vine"
more into the main stem. This is of very
doubtful benefit. 1t must not be forgotten
mat the leaves of a plant are its lungs,
ana 1t is highly probable that the practice
VIII he found of no more value than the
now obsolete custom of "pinching back"
sweet potato vines.
Bulletin No. IS. Geo. Exp. Station.