The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1900-05-08
TO GROW W.ATERMELONS CHEAP

This can be done to excellent adj
vantage in connection with cor or
cotton. which should be planted as
early as the season will permit of.
leaving places at proper distances
apart. say ten to twelve feet each way
for the melon hills. 1t is best to have
no other plants with the corn or cot
tor. as the ease may be. except the
melons. which should be planted sui
ficiently close to mOunt virtually
to a melon patch. All farmers of eN-
perience know that if there IS SUI
%ticiencv Of grain of any kind on the
ground to make a full crop there Is
no room for anything else while said
| crop is growing. Hence the necessity
for leaving spaces Of four to five feet
in which to construct the melon hills
If this arrangement was not made
at planting time a proper number OF
stalks should be removed to make the
necessary room.
The fruit of q vine Will be worth
more than that of the stalks removed
The vines run out to bear where they
will be of but little or nc d~etrlnent
to the cro of cotton. Hence there is
an actual gain in growing this joint
crop and especially when the first
crop (corn) goes into decline before
the melon GRO comes on.
1t is generally conceded thaf a con.
mercial fertilizers are better than
other for melons. \ fer3i
1izer composed Of the following n-
gradients: Nitrogen. three per ccnt
avi!able Phosphoric Acid. six per cent
and patash eight per cent.
4 few weeks before planting timt
construct fiat hills sufficiently high tC
It space four to five feet acros and
prevent damage to the plants in case
Of wet weather. Then apply 10 eac'
hill from one to one and a half pounds
of the above fertilizers: scatter It Ovci
mix well with the soil.
ANY time during the latter half o.
May of the first week of June the hills
! may be properly loosened up an'l Tho
| melon weed planted. For lat, melons
the 18th of June is a good time L
plant.
In lieu of the above fertilizer. the
following ingredient may be procure.
| ties necessary to make 100 pounds
but any other quantity can be prepaI.
| ed.
Nitrate Of sod eleven pounds acif
phosphate forty-siN pounds, kaipi1
forty-three pounds.
Apply from one to n and Il hal
pounds to q hill. the am ac above.
In lieu Of kainit. mauriat. OF sal
phate of potash may be employed
TO make 100 pounds. Witt either one
Of the said elements substituted fOl
the kainit. the following quantities
will be required. nitrate Of sofa six
teen pounds. acid phosphate sixty
seven pounds. muriate or sulphate OF
potash seventeen pounds.
100 pounds of this grade is equiv
alent to nearly III pounds of either
Of the above and the application
should be regulated accordingly.
The cultivation should be thorough
without disturbing b vines to any
| great extent with Il pillow after they
commence running. The rus on the
hills and beneath the vines should be
broken after every rain with a long
narrow. !ight-blade. constructed fol-
the purposes. taking proper care not
to %injure the vines. The grass ano
weeds can thus easily be kept in sub
| lection until the first crop of melons
The above plan is Of course practical
gets half grown
| for medium and late melons only.
In the same WI pumpkins can be
planted and cultivated jointly Will
corn of great advantage. BY giving
| the corn {; few weeks the start neces
sary cultivation will not iniure the
| vines.
BRYAN TYSON.
| InIl,->A