The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1902-04-20
CONDUCTED
By
F. S. WHITE.
Timely Suggestions.


My last under this heading was left off
at canteloupes. The next in order comes
Watermeions.
These need even better land than musk
MELONS, though the cultivation is very
much the same. The best soil for the
watermelon IS warm, deep, rich. sandy
loan. Though have had wonderful sue
cess in growing watermelons on heavy
enriched clay soils. The land should
slope gently to the south or southwest for
best results. On such situations the sun
shines until late in the day. warming up
the land SO that it retains its heat
throughout the night, a very important
matter in melon growing. Situations OF
this kind will produce melons week
earlier than less favored situations, ana
this Is a very valuable consideration Tor
those who are growing Tor market as II
often means a considerable amount more
per acre for the early fruit brings the
fancy prices The land used for melons
must not only be rich but must be well
drained. Melons will not grow on land
that Is water soaked or where the SUD-
soil is full of water. Neither will water
melons grow until the weather has be-
come warm and the season of cold rains
past l have been successful in getting
early canteloupes started by planting on
grass sods, in beds and transferring these
to open ground when the weather became
warm, but every effort of this kind L ever
tried with the watermelon proved a fall
ure | could never persuade the water
melon vines to grow uneil the nights be-
came warm The best fertilizer for mel
ons is well decayed stable manure, or
manure from the compost heap contain
Ing a good supply of leaf mould A great
many growers prefer and recommend
manuring, or applying the manure in the
fc MIA md
practice it. want manure plenty, so as
to spread over broad cast the whole sur
face and plow under deep. The plants
will find and take up the plant food as
fast as needed especially If the soil is
kept we'll stirred and kept from weeds.
The land to be used for melons should be
selected in the fall, plowed deep and
SOW ed to rye and red clover. Let these
crops grow on the land through the win
ter to protect the soil from washing. The
green rye and clover can be pastured late
IN the winter and early In the spring,
giving plenty of pasture to pay for seed
ing and all expenses of sowing. Early in
the spring spread over the land evenly
we'll decomposed manure and turn all
under deep. The amount of manure to be
used will depend entirely on the condition
of the land, and for melons to range from
ten to twenty wagon loads per acre. OF
course, the term wagon load is very in
definite, but mean to allow for at least
a ton for a wagon load. Melons will not
need so much manure as is required for
a general line Of garden crops. But we
are often met with the statement that
stable manure is not to be had at any
price, and that commercial fertilizers,
alone are to be depended upon. In this
case it is best to use some high grade
guano and purs bone dust. but 1t would
be far better II this could be mixed with
leaf mould from the woods or stable
manure well rotted, or any rich loan soil
will do.
To every bushel of the guano or bone
dust add three bushels of the other man.
ure mentioned leaf mould well rotted,
stable manure CT rich loamy soil. Where
the guano Is luDlpy 1t must be broken up
to dust before mixing This question of
fertilizers Is one that must be most care
fully considered by each and every grow
er, as conditions vary so greatly that no
we'll defined rule can be given that will
answer for all conditions. The general
conditions of the land has much to do
in governing the amount and quality of
manures to use. Well rotted leaf mould
is an excellent fertilizer for melons. and
this Is easily secured in all timbered
countries. But 1 would prefer using the
leaves In the compost heap. and thus
getting them mixed with other manures
In my travels in South Alabama, 1 met
two farmers, both of whom keep man
hired just to rake up leaves in the woods,
and these are hauled and used in the
barns for being where they get mixed with
both solid and liquid droppings from the
stock. One of these formers had lot of
abe ut two acres fenced with a tight board
fence so that nothing could escape. The
leaves were hauled and thrown into this
lot, and all the stock on the farm were
kept ovec night in this lot. This man
o1l III, 4,,14
entire tine IN ralxing up and pilng the
leaves ready for hauling. BY this means
the man always had a good supply of
manure at hand ready for use. l went
oil over his farm and found 1t In O high
fertile state of cultivation, while there
are many perhaps who are compelled to
have to depend almose entirely on the
commercial fertilizers. Yet, 1 know that
thousands of available fertilizers are
going to waste on our farms. The farm
ers should save everything on the farm
that will help to enrich and keep up the
fertility of their lands. But In using
manures of any kind for melons. care
must be used in not getting too much and
burning the vines. 1t Is better to have
the manure we'll worked into the land be-
fore planting; or II 1t is used after plant
ing it should be applied In small doses
as 1t can be taken up by the plants. All
deep cultivation for melons should be
done before the planting, after which
only shallow cultivation will be needed.
The land should always be perfectly dry
when cultivated and the vines should
never be disturbed when they are wet
with dew or rain. AS to planting, some
prefer planting in hills eight by twelve
feet, more or less, according to the land.
But 1 prefer planting in rows say about
ten feet apart and leaving one vine about
every four feet in the row. BY this
7
ons on an acre, and have them earlier.
After the land has been well cultivated
narrowed and made fine mark off the
rows ten feet wide, furrow out a deep
furrow. then throw up a bed over this
turrow as If for cotton or sweet potatoes.
then smooth this bed off leaving 1t only
few inches above the surface; then with
a corner Of a hoe, or better still. a good