The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1903-04-07

wider apart the rows can be placed. On
very rich land II feet each way is not
too mUCh, but ordinarily 10 feet each
way appears to give the best results. The
crops should never be planted at d5s-
tance less than SXS feet. Whenever it is
possible the land should be laid off in
checks, dropping the seed in the checks.
After narrowing and smoothing down
the sell the rows should be laid off with
wide shovel, and into this deep furroW
the fertilizers can be drilled or distrib-
uted and listed on with q turning plow.
Throw four burrows together with the
turn p!ow to make the bed and break out
the middles later This plan is simpler
and less expensive than the old-fash
toned way of making the hills with
hoe.
FERTILIZATION.
IN all open land the best place for the
watermelon is on land which grew a
crop of peas the year previous. On such
land the best fertilizer TO use is stable
manure distributed in the burrows, and
then drill on top of that 300 pounds each
OF KANT and acid phosphate per acre
Ii commercial fertilizers are to be used
in place of stable manure, coed mix
ture would be, equal parts OF cotton
Sc ed meal acid phosphate and KANT, ap-
pIying same at rate Of from 900 TO Ito
pounds per acre Nitrate of soda is said
to be better than cotton seed meal Tor
Uater,nel0ns. but this is not 50 conven
lent as meal, hence the above formula IS
suggested. IN planting, the seed should
not be spared Put from Is to 20 seed
in each hill, and plant them in circle,
nIl and
cannot get all the seed planted as they
are likely TO do when the seed are all
dropped IN one place. 4 stand is very
often lost on this account. Plant by
hand and after distributing the seed IN
a circle around the hill press each seed
into tha earth with the finger to q depth
of MOI more than one inch and then
cover Plant the seed shallow not over
orc inch i'm doDth When the plants have
ee7ninatnd. thin them down 10 three
vigorous plants and later to one plant
After The first good season, break out the
IniGdlas and begin cultivation With the
scooter and scrape. Many OF the pest
melon growers never plOw or hoe their
croDs until after the morning dew IS OIL
Whcthei. there is anything in this or not
I do not know. Give two or three plo"-
ings. backing each time away from the
vines as it is very injurious TO melon
vines TO turn them out Of the way OIL
the nlow or to move them about Tor any
/ n,rnoco At the third CT last piOwlng
i II ic = oood idea to make 2 light SOWING
of cowpeas broadcast, which if not so"h
too thick will materially help in giving
cutting for hay later on ard tend tc
shade the Young melons from the heat of
the midday's sun also peck OF SEED
to the acre is about right in sowing tic
coUneas There are q large number OF
! splendid varieties Of water melons. Ger :
/ tain kinds being favorites in certain n
4 calities. Any thin-rind melon OF tried
4 reputation is good for family use. Inc
4 most important thing is first to get pure
seed. then prepare the right kind Of sol,
! fertilize properly and work the crop as
needed If these few suggestions arc
4 followed there is no good reason why
! every family living on a farm in the
! South should not have an abundance OF
choice melons a little later on.