The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-04-17

If addressed to Agri. Editor, Drawer n,
Milledgeville, Ga, will receive immediate
attention.
To Grow Melons, Pumpkins and 9th
or Vine Products Economically.
The plan can be employed in connection
with almost any cultivated crop but corn
and cotton are the most suitable. If corn
be selected 1t should be planted In drills
about six feet apart as early as the season
viii admit of. Construct hills for the
melons in every third row about fifteen
feet apart. If ground be an object and
it is desirable to raise full crop of mel
ons the hills may be constructed in ev-
cry other row. twelve feet apart. A good
supply of rich mold preferably from the
WOODS should be used in constructing the
hills. As protection against wet wealth
err the hills should have a proper eleva-
ton suitable space, say four feet,
should he left between the adjacent stalks
in which no corn should be planted.
About four weeks after planting the
corn, loosen the hills well and plant wa
termelon or muskmelon seed. By giving
the corn proper start 1t can be thorough
ly cultivated and laid by before the vines
run sufficiently to be damaged by blowing.
Melons thus grown will cost but little We
will say that each vine will occupy the
space that would otherwise be occupied
by two stalks of corn, and that you plant
100 hills. If these hills displace 200 stalks
OF corn you would lose two bushels, count
ing 100 stalks for a bushel. At so cents
per bushel the loss would be $1OO.
The vines will be apt TO produce at
least two goods melons each, and may pro-
duce three or more Counting the aver
a a gSHyO how xaFo.r, .-t., hale
each. The vines win run out among the
corn to bear, without material damage to
the corn. The corn will not retard the
growth of the vines TO any great extent;
after the fodder is pulled they will take
the ground.
Seeds of two or more different kinds,
such as corn and melons, should never be
planted in the same hill If desirable to
raise joint crop, necessary provision for
each crop should be made. BY leaving
space of about two feet on either side,
vine Will thrive nearly, or quite as well,
among the corn as ii would If ii had the
entire ground. Consequently with wide
rows, constructed in line with the sun at
? O'clock, very nearly a full crop each of
corn and melons can be grown Thus
arranged, the corn, during the heat of the
day, Will shade the ground but very little.
The same instructions apply TO melons
planted among cotton, except that the
rows should be constructed the usual width
and the melon seed planted by or before
May 10.
The above plan is not practical for early
melons. but for medium and late 1t can
be adVantageously employed For late
melons IL will be best to plant among corn
only, the corn being planted about May 10
and the melons from June to TO- 1t would
be well TO fertilize the two stalks of corn
or cotton one on either side of the melon
L ffr wu11z
preventing them from drawing on the
hills.
Decoy Beds.-Of all plans that 1 ever
tried to protect melon vines from the raw
ages of insects usually a small speckled
bug decoy beds take the lead, A proper
number of these beds, eight to- twelve
inches square, should be constructed in
the immediate vicinity of the patch, the
number varying to suit the size of the
patch. In order to hasten the plants APP
ply stable, or other manure and dig it into
the soil, but use no guano nor hen pen
manure, as they are offensive to the in
sects. Watermelon seed should be sown
in said beds sufficiently thick for the
plants TO stand from one TO two inches
apart.
After the plants in the hills come up
sift from a basket, while the dew is on.
a mixture of two parts scot and one part
wood ashes. There is little or no danger
of damage. This will drive the insects to
the decoy beds, where they can easily be
destroyed by throwing on dirt and pack
ing down, which will, of course destroy
both beds and insects. Before this is
done other beds should be prepared and
planted in time for the plants TO be com
ing up, which in turn should be DESTROYED
as aforesaid. Persistence in this plan will,
rs l believe, eXterminate the insects in any
locality. If preferable. the insects can
be caught and destroyed early each MORN
ing. In this case only one set Of decoy
beds will be required.
No other plants, such as peas, etc.
should be planted in the portion set apart
for the vines.
Pumpkin Squash, Etc.-The same direc-
tons apply TO them. but they, of course.
require greater distance than melon vines.
Fertilizer for Waternelons, Cantaloupes
and Cucumbers.--A fertilizer containing
the following ingredients may be employ
ed:
Available phosphoric acid .....S per cent.
Potash ......,..................,.S per cent.
Nitrogen .,..........,...,..........3 per cent.
Scatter a good handful of the above over
the hills and dig in before planting.
Stable manure, by adding 100 pounds
each of acid phosphate and kainit per ton.
to correct an excess of nitrogen, will also
make an excellent fertilizer for any of said
vines, including pumpkin and other vines.
Long Leaf, n. c. Bryan Tyson.
on the Importance of Maintaining an
Eouflfbrium of Fertility I'm Soil