The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1903-03-29
canteloupe Growing.


For the past three years the increase In
The acreage grown to canteloupes has
been something enormous. The ship
ment of canteloupes has become so great
that car loads are now shipped where
only a few cases were shipped few
years ago.
Now there is no big secret art in the
growing of fine eanteloupes, as the main
thing is in selecting the right kind of
soil, and preparing the soil as it should
be. We will first notice this matter of the
Soil.
The canteloupe, like all other vine
crops. thrives best in a deep, rich sandy
lean. Black sandy land is generally
hest, though the lighter shades of sandy
soil will answer, provided they are made
sufficiently rich. Our best clay soil will
also produce fine canteloupes, though this
clay soil will not produce crops quite so
early. Most of our lands anywhere thai
will produce corn potatoes or cotton, will
produce fine canteloupes if well managed.
Now, In selecting soil for canteloupes 1t
is well enough to look after the sub-soil
as well as the top soil. A good porous clay
sub-soil is best.
Soils with a hard thin. white clay bot
tom would not produce fine canteloupes,
unless the soil was well sub-soiled in or
der to afford the necessary drainage, and
this variety of soil would need a complete
system of fertilzng, for generally these
stiff white clay sub-sols hold water too
long after our rains, and as soon as they
fegin to dry they become hard, thus the
great necessity of providing such soil
with an abundance of humus, decayed
vegetable matter, which will loosen up the
soil and let the air in to circulate among
the roots. Then again, some soils might
need to be sub-soiled, loosening up the
lower soil so as to give the necessary
drainage, for the soil must have good
drainage in order to have 1t produce fine
canteloupes. Here is where many grow
| ers make their mistake, in trying to grow
this crop on wet, soggy soils.
Then the location will have much to do
in influencing the crop. Lands for cantc.
loupes should slope either to the west or
south, especially so if early crops is the
object. The great advantage of these
slopes are that they lie facing the sun
the most of the day, and so get so thor
oughly warm through that they do not
| cool off through the night and check the
growth of the plants. Now, whore only a
few canteloupes are grown for home use.
one need not be so particular as to soil
or the location as most any soil will pro-
duce enough fruit for home and family
use.
But I am writing now for the benefit OF
the grower who is growing for market.
and in this case earliness is one of the
create objects, as a few days often
means a great deal in the price of a car
of canteloupes; so in order to have them
early one should select the soil to the
best advantage. and begin the preparation
n tho soil a. nc pOgGibla in the
season.
New land Soils either prairie or new
timber lands, are fine for canteloupes and
where these are to be had very little, II
any, fertilizer need be used. Now there
arc several great advantages in having a
good soil to commence with, besides that
of earliness.
Unless the soil is suitable or made so
for this crop the fruit is liable to becor :
uneven in size, and many of them ILL
shaped and worthless. One of the most
important points in growing canteloupes
for market is to have them of a uniform
size, or as near so as possible. In order
to do this one must look out from the
; tart for this matter and have the soil in
the proper condition.
Preparing the Soil.
After the soil has been selected the next
thing in order Is the preparation of the
soil, and this work depends largely on
the condition we find the soil in, as well
as the location. But as a general rule
all soils should be broken deeply. and a
deep, rich seed bed prepared AS stated
some soils would be benefited by sub
solling, while others would not need this
work. The sub-sol pillow should only be
used where the soil has a hard clay bot
tom, or a hard gravel bottom. Then, in
some sections 1t would be well to break
The land in the fall, while in other sec
lions it would be well to break in the
spring These are matters for the grow
er in each section to decide by experience
for their peculiar location. But in case
IL is necessary or convenient to break the
land in the fall, some crops. such as rye
or barley, should be sown on the land
to protect it through the winter against
or washing rains
The green crops may be pastured off,
| only however, when the soil Is dry. and
| the soil should be rebroken In the spring
! The pasture will pay amply for all the
| extra cost and labor and only the better
| prepare the soil for the canteloupc crop.
| Put the one general idea Is to keep the
| soil worked regularly and made very fine
before planting All the deep cultivation
should be done before the crop Is planted,
for the work is so much easier and cheap
er performed before than after planting.
| The soil should be worked over at least
| once each week after 1t is broken-that
- when broken In the spring-up TO the
time of planting the seed.
Fertilizers.
This question might come in here In
connection with the preparation of the
soil Now as stated, most any good soil
that will produce ordinary field crops will
produce canteloupes but for early ami
fine uniform fruit most soils except our
best new lands, will need some fertilizer,
as this is essential in keeping the soil
loose, warm and by letting the air have
free circulation among the roots of the
PLANTS, which hastens their growth and
maturity. Now to commence with a
good soil but little manure would be
needed, and fine well-rotted stable man.
ure, mixed with earth mould. would be all
that is necessary. or one might mix in
bone meal or cotton seed meal with the
stable manure. making stable manure
two tons, bone meal one ton; mix well
and apply at the rate of from eight hum
dred to twelve hundred pounds per acre,
according to the requirements of the
soil.
much prefer using the fertilizer broad
cast over the soil just before planting,
and harrow it in. 1t is a mistaken idea
that the roots of the plant will not spread
cut and find all the plant food there is in
the SOIL or enough to supply the wants OF
the crop, so that the plan OF putting only
g small shovel of manure under the hill
is poor one and one that / could never
make pay. Better use the manure broad
cast but whatever manure is used should
he well rotted before being applied, as
fresh or green manure is sure to cause
rust, blight or other disease to both vine