The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1902-04-20

the wish of his customers Some people
want all they can get for their money,
and not the best melons by any means
Long melons with white seed are far SUI
reTior to round varieties having black
seed. Our growers, now, are nearly all
calling for long varieties. Such sort
Georgia Rattlet make, Florida Favorite
and Monte Cristo or KlealSly Sweet are
| called fer. The Monte Gristu is now the
best melon we have. This melon is grown
largely all through the west, and espe-
Cially in Texas where acres of this sort
are grown for shipment north. Colorado
also grow largely of this melon for ship
rent. This Is q long black-skin melon.
dcep, rich red meat, with white seed of
medium size; vines strong growers very
hardy and prolific and medium early
Last year we introduced this variety
throughout this section, and we have had
nothing hut words Ct praise for IT. all
speaking in the highest terms of it,, and
making 1t their first choice for this SEAL
sem BY the way, this is the variety
had such q fine crop Of mentioned hove.
| know of NO other sort havinE so many
good points. In southeast Missouri they
grow what is called Blue Gem This is
a large fine appearing melcn and sells
really in some northern markets. | I'M
derstand that many acres IF this Blue
Gem are being grown this season, hav-
ing been sent out under some other name
as new sort. | am often asked the
question as to whether watermelons WI.
mix with pumpkins and other vines. This
is matter upon which ootanists have
never been agreed and perhaps never will
he My advise would be to plant melons
exclusively to Themselves and have nc
other vines In the field or anywhere near
them. Bees are very bad about slipping
vegetables and fruits, as they carry pollen
from flower to flower and yet, while do
ing often much mischief, do good as well.
In fact. this seems to be one of natures
ways, provided for the fertilization of
many vegetables and fppits. This work
is not centred to the honey bee. but
there are a great many bees and flies
that feed On the honey of flowers. an
while feeding they get the pollen on their
legs or body 4, d carry 1t from plant ~
plant thus mixing many sorts. especially
vine crops
Onions.
1t is rather late now in the season to
give a chapter on onion growing, SO 1
will only mention few facts in general
on onions, and give a full cha pter In time
for fall planting. There is time and am
pie time, yet, for planting onion sets, pro-
Vided good, soCnS sets which have not
sp1 outcd can be secured Sets can with
perfect safety be set all through thls
month. The land she uld be made very
rich and fine, as we'll as we'll drained
Ms rlSet gardeners depend largely upon
sets for their crops of onions as they can
perhaps be mere cbeaply grown from
sets than from seed. The sets do not
need neai so much room as | often see
given to them Rows twenty-f"ur 10
thirty inches wide, ana the sets set near
ly touching each other. is room plenty.
For private gardens. beds can be made
. L. ,Sl1 "A nj
drills eighteen inches apart, and cultivat-
with the hand hoe. But gardeners VINO
plant on a large scale for market pur-
poses should plant so that the cultiva-
tor can be done with horse. VIII re-
peat again that in buying sets one should
be very careful and see that the sets nave
not been allowed to become heated or
sprouted, and use only good, sound I'M
sprouted sets which have not started any
growth at all. Sets that have heated, or
that have great long sprouts on them are
worthless. and it is only a waste OF time
and money in planting out such sets. 1t
takes such sets a long time to get
start. and when they do they make but
feeble growth and soon die out without
having made any bottoms. The practice
of growing onion plants from seed on
beds and transplantng to open ground
like cabbage and other plants. has gain
cd favor fast in some sections and has
proven a great success. This plant gives
really the largest and incest, as well as
best keeping onions. and L Will explain
this plan in detail later on. The onion
crop is a very profitable one for the
truckers as they can pull for punches and
sell the crop green; and where they are
thus used and sold off early the cost of
production is small and then the land Is
left in the very best condition for planting
a second crop of vegetables. There Is
nearly always a good demand Tor dry
onions. SO that II they are not oil sold
off green they may be left to ripcn and
sold when fully ripe. Now. L have had
lots of complaints about onions not keep
ing. There arc many causes for this. On
ions. in order for them to keep well.
( should be pulled before they become dead
/ ripe AS soon as the tops begin to turn
| yellow and droop pull the crop right up
! and If the weather Is dry they may be
allowed to remain in the sun to dry for
a few days. Then take them and spread
| thinly on some floor or in any old out
| building. If onions are once allowed to
become fully ripe before harvesting they
are likely to startaa second growth. and
If they should. they had just as we'll be
thrown away II they cannot be sold and
used for they will not keep. Then, too,
/ they are apt to start this second growth
| especially If the weather Is hot and
/ showery, about the time they mature.
! Then, again, should the weather be show
cry, as is often the case, when the onions
arc pulled they should be taken in at
once for they will start second growth
lying on the top of the ground in rainy
weather. Never cut the tops off until
ready to market, Leave spre ad thinly on
! floors until approach of cold weather,
then store in OPEN crates and throw some
straw over them. Managed in this way.
l have had good success keeping them.
Peas-Garden or English.
These are great favorite with a great
many people, and why they are not more
extensively grown ard why not grown
| with better success ir this section l can
not see. Peas are not so particular
about soil as are many other vegetables.
While light rich sandy soil may pro-
duce crop earlier then a heavy soil, yet