The Columbus journal., 1904-03-16
Points on MeIsn Growing.

.S!le&E
Points on MelsN Growing.
During the past tw0 years l have
been making Q study OF muskmelons
and have been growing q good many
varieties. ] like best of all what Is
called Beck's Strawberry muskmelon.
which. hear. originated in Western
Illinois. 1t Is one Of those kinds OF
melons that you can give to . man
that says he does not like muskmel.
Ons and will make him change his
mind. Then, too, this melon holds
up well in quality; that Is, the late
grown melons are Of good quality. -
well rs the first ones borne by the
vines. 1t is not small melOn-n0t
basket melOn-but weighs from four
to avo pounds on an average. They
will average ~ large n the Usage.
but are Of different shape.
With this melon believe . man
could work up . good local market.
but 1t might not take In Chicago. be-
cause 1t is not known. A melon to
sell we'll there must be OF . known
type. the same Is everything else
This is illustrated by the trouble the
gem melon had to get into the market
While It wss unknown II sold very
slowly. When the first lot Of gem
melons came to Chicago the commits
sion man that received them said:
What won't they send to Chicago
next?" But when the people hae OBJ
tanned taste of gem me!cls the con.
mission men changed their minds.
We SOW the seed In the open field.
though there are some gardeners that
SOW the seeds on inverted sod, and
then transplant them to the open
ground. But I do not do that.
plant . considerable number of seeds
in each hill and then thin to three or
four plants in Q hill. The hills are
six feet apart each way. That makes
1t possible for us to cultivate each
way. which We do till the vines get
50 big that they cover the ground
and interfere with the work Of the cul-
tivatOr. We could, of course. push
the vines along in one row and 50
keep cultivating one way: but We do
not do 1t.
The time of this open field plant.
Ing Of the seed is about the middle OF
May In Champaign. We always use
barnyard manure and sometimes sup
plement 1t with other fertilizer. When
any such is used II Is some form Of
phosphorus.
We do not raise our own melon
seed. for 1t would be impossible to
keep any one variety pure when so
many varieties are being grown In
proximity. So We get the seed fresh
each year. There are several seed
houses that sell the seeds of Beck 8
strawberry. The firms that produce
it grow 1t in such quantities that
mixing of seed is practically impos.
sible. John w. Lloyd,
University Of Illinois.
Making Hotbed.
Please give plans ana directions
for making and handling . h0tbed, to
be used for starting and handling
early vegetables and sweet potato
plants for the home gardens.
The making Of hotbeds is not dif'
ficult matter. 1t is only necessary to
keep in mind . few main principles
The part of the bed to the north
should be higher than the part on the
southern side, to give the sunshine
. chance to get in. The frames used
may be of any size that will handle
easily and should, Of course. swine
from the higher point Of the bed.
Some men use boards two feet high
on the higher side Of the bed and q
foot high on the lower side. This
gives . good slant. The boards on
the east and west sides must, ot
course. be made to slope from back
to front.
The heat for these beds 10 usually
horse manure in . state OF fermenta-
tion. It Is quite important to have
the manure uniform In texture and OF
about the same age that the fer.
mentation may be equal in all parts
of the bed. From one-third to one.
half of the manure may consist Of
straw that has been used for bedding.
II manure is very dense It will not
heat well, and 1t should have straw
mixed with 1t.
The pit under the frame should be
about Q foot wider than the frame
and about two feet deep. First. .
layer of some coarse material IL put
In to keep the manure from the
ground. Above this is piled about
twenty inches of manure. Above this
some leaf mold III It can be obtained)
and then fve or six inches Of garden
loan, In which the plants are to be
grown.
The seeds should not be sown
while the heat of the Fermentation 10
great. A thermometer should be
! thrust into the soil, and when the
| temperature Is seen to be falling and
has dropped to 80 degrees. seeds Of
tomatoes should be sown. When the
heat drops to 80 and 20 degrees, such
seeds ~ lettuce and radish may be
SOwn.
Adaptability Of Apples.
Unless varieties are adapted to the
climate, the soil. the location, to the
exposure and to the markets, We plant
| In vain and our results are naught.
This study Of adaptability II . stucy
! that can reach conclusions only by
! actual experience. Many. many sad
blunders have been made by reason
| ing out results. when reasoning was
| not what Was needed, but experience