The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-03-12

in nearly all off the Southern States has
rendered the industry quite an extensive
one in recent years. All through the yell
low pine sections of Georgia and Florida,
known locally as the wire grass" region,
the watermelon seems 20 thrive best and
annually hundreds and thousands of acres
of land are devoted to its culture. Per-
haps the most luscious and most hinly
priced watermelons grown in the South
are those which are produced on the
wire grass lands of South Georgia.
Other sections may produce MELONS
equal in size and appearance, but the
flavor of the Georgia melons are unex-
celled and owing to that fact they have
won for themselves a national reputation
for superiority over all others.
The large melon growers who are in
the business extensively and who grow
melons for market are generally well
posted as to the best methods of culture
and fertilization. But nearly every farm
err, no mater how limited him farm area,
is certain to plant at least small plat
of ground in watermolons for his imme-
date family consumption, and it is 10
melon growers, that the information con-
tanned in this article IS directed. No
man operating a farm would be without
these luscious melons during the warm
days of summer, and the proper prepare
ton of the soil and fertilization will have
much to do with the success of the crop
later on.
SOIL AND LOCATION
A warm, sandy soil, light and not too
damp, is best suited for the growth of
watermelons. Like the grape, the water
melon requires good Understandings and
should not be planted on a fat, damp
land However, the land should not be
too dry; sufficient capillarity must exist
to keep the roots of the plants we'll sup
piled with moisture during periods of
drought. On nearly every farm at least
small area of such land can be found,
and it should be selected for the melon
crop. While watermelons will grow on
almost any kind of soil that has been
nicely prepared and properly fortified,
if seasons are favorable, yet when we
know in advance just what is best for
the plant and can get it without risking
too much to seasons, it becomes our duty
possess and utilize it to our best inter
ests. Many farmers know these facts
from a knowledge born of long expert
ence, while others not so we'll posted
can acquire information by investigation
and save to themselves the laborious pro-
cess of experiment. An ideal location
then, for production of melons to the
highest type of perfection is warm,
soil Nth CT
pact. clay subsoil. In the absence of such
a subsoil however, the crop will do we'll
if other conditions are there.
Too much humus, or rather vegetable
matter in the soil is not desirable, as it
has a tendency to make the melons wa
terry and insipid, reducing the percentage
of saccharine matter In no case should
melons be planted the second year on
land which grew them the year before.
At least four years should Intervene,
giving time to exterminate certain in
sects which would seriously affect the
! second crop and also to give the land an
opportunity to recover from the drain
the melon crop makes on the potash ele-
ment of plant food. I discussed this
question with an extensive melon grower
in middle Florida some weeks ago. and
he said that If none of the melons were
allowed to remain in the field and rot
that a second could be grown on the same
ground, provided a fertilizer rich in
potash was used. But planted new land
every ear Experience, which is the
hardest and best teacher, has clearly de-
monstrated that it is safest to rtate the
crop and not risk second years plant
ing on the same land. Perhaps we may
discover some day a means for perpetu-
ating the melon crop on the same land
as we do cotton, but it is neither needful
at this time nor is it safe to do So
PREPARATION AND FERTILIZATION.
The soil should be we'll broken and
thoroughly narrowed. In sandy lands
| light breaking is preferable, though in
the stiff red clay lands of the more
northern belt it would be better to break
deeper, going down below the hard pan.
J The roots of the watermelon prefer to
| grow laterally, and make the best devel-
opment when conditions are not such as
to force the roo stdonwpv II 20 &c
to force the roots downward either in
search of moisture or where the soil has
been deeply broken. Pulverize the top
| soil with the harrow until a fine, nice
| Jllth mas D66n secured. FOllOWluS d H6Iu
| planted the year previously in COW peas
will make the rows the distance should
be gagged according to the fertility of the
land. On very rich land where luXu-
RANT growth of the vine is likely to be
| secured, distance of 12X12 feet would
not be too much, though the average OF
1Ox10 feet is most frequently employed.
The land should always be checked, so
that the hills will be equidistant apart.
Check the plat by running light scooter
| furrow in both directions, then the rows
| into which the fertilizers are to be
placed should be opened out deep and
wide with a shovel ploy After drilling
in the fertilizer and mixing it with the
soil by one or two trips in the row with
scooter. list on the row with turn pillow,
| three burrows on each side. The middles
| can be broken out later, At planting time
place from 10 to Is seed in each hill, lay
| ing the seed around in a circle, and
pressing each seed down with the finger,
rot deeper than an inch. Some seed in
| this way will be more likely to escape
the attacks of insects and mice, than
where they are all dumped into one place
Some growers replant every week, not
waiting for the first planting to germin-
ate. At all events plant shallow. The