The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1898-04-05

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At distances of about 8 feet apart
construct rude compartments about Q
feet square by driving boards into the
bottom Of the trench. Then throw into
each compartment peck of corn cobs
and peck Of bruised cotton seed on
the cobs. Then, if convenient, fill with
earth taken from beneath trees In
which fowls have roasted. II not con
venient, mix half peck of hen manure
with rich earth taken from beneath
cedar trees and fill the compartments
with this mixture, forming a hill and
allowing for settling.
The residue of the trench may be
filed with rich earth, that will not
bake, sufficiently high to form ridge.
The walls of the compartments should
then be removed.
A single handful of salt may be
sprinkled in the bottom of each COM
partment before the cobs are placed it
serves q good purpose in dry weather.
The rows may be from 10 to 16 feet
apart, the latter preferable.
For this climate, for early melons,
plant about April 7th. A week later
plant other seed in the same hills, thus
securing stand. Thin to 1 plant.
Holes Q feet deep and feet square,
filed with corn cobs, cotton seed and
earth from beneath cedar trees in
which fowls had roasted, (the cobs and
cotton seed applied as above), gave the
best results that have ever heard of.
Four holes produced over 80 melons,
some Of them weighing over 80 pounds.
The seed were planted early in April,
the vines remained green all summer.
When frost came there was not q vel
low leaf on the vines, there being then
a good supply Of melons on them. No
trench, logs nor salt were used here.
Oak logs (red oak or white oak prob
ably best) have been tested and found
to be good beyond conception. There
fore suggest them as an improvement
on tie above fholee).
Some Recommend topping the vines
when they are or 4 feet long.
EFFECT OF PINE TOPS.
Last spring one of our neighbors dug
q trench and partially filed it with
green pine tops. The residue Of the
trench was filed with rich earth prop
erly fertilized. Watermelon seed were
then planted. The vines received no
cultivation whatever, yet they re-
mained green and stood the drouth far
better than others in the immediate
vicinity that were highly cultivated.
The pine tops evidently exerted bene-
fetal influence in resisting the effects
of drouth, but further tests will be
necessary to decide the extent to which
they can be proftably employed.
It would also be we'll to experiment
In the same way with cedar tops.
Oak logs that have been cut a year
or two will probably be best for pres
ent use, but if green logs have time to
at least partially decay, they will
doubtless be best.
Watermelons will not thrive two or
more years in succession on the soil. It
will be best to rotate between the logs
with other crops for at least two years,
in addition to removing the vines, as
aforesaid. Then try melons again.
TO PREVENT THE RAvAGEs OF INSECTS
Construct a convenient number of
small beds from to IL inches square
in the immediate vicinity Of the patch
and fertilize we'll with stable manure,
or rich earth, digging same into the
soil. Then SOW watermelon seed sUfi
ciently thick to have plant for about
every square inch. The object of fer
tilizing is to make the plants tender,
but no guano should be used, as it is
offensive to the small speckled bugs
that usually do the damage. If the
weather be dry the beds should be oc
casionalIy Watered, thus increasing the
tenderness of the plants and making
them more palatable for the bugs.
These beds may be sown at the same
time the hills are planted, or few
days earlier would not hurt.
The plants in the hills should be
protected by drawing dirt around the
stems close up to the leaves, but never
hill higher than the leaves (the branches
when they run out, should be wholly
above grOund)
As further protection, mix part
of wood ashes with 2 parts of SCOT ana
place in basket. While the dew Is
on, dust the plants we'll with the mix
ture. This will drive the insects to the
beds where they can be destroyed by
throwing on dirt and packing down, or
they can be picked off and killed. The