Payette enterprise. (Payette, Canyon Co., Idaho) 1909-1935, 1911-04-06

FNNlS 20 FiNAailIs
My experience growing and ship
, ping cantaloupes In the Yakima val
ley covers the last thirteen years
During eight years of that time
managed the growing OF from thirty
to eighty acres every season,
Land and Seed.
The first important thing TO one
who intends growing cantalOupes
Is the selection OF the right kind OF
soil. My experience S that the best
land is the loose, new soil, partially
sub-lrrlgated, such land as is found
in considerable quantities on the In.
dian reservation near Toppen.sh. The
partially sub-irrigated effect can be
produced In any locality to some
extent by the proper kind Of irriga-
ton, using deep irrigation burrows.
Do not select worn out soil or sod
that has been cropped a good many
times without seeding. Land which
has been seeded to clover or al.ai-
IA will grow splendid cantaloupes one
or two years after being plowed.
A light, loose. warm. loamy soil is
very much to be preferred, avoiding
very sandy soil. which drifts and
cuts. the young plants. and very hea-
w soil. which packs too hard when
irrigated and is hard to cultivate. Do
not try to plant cantaioupes in loul
land full of weed soeGs Do not
plant cautaloupes ON thin, grdyeiy 7.
soil or on steep hills, where the /
ground can not be kept e, emily moist; .
IL is waste of time.
Another thing in selecting a To-
cation is not to get too tar from
shipping point, as cantaloupes mustI
be picked and marketed every day,
and can not be hauled advantageous
Iy for long distances.
After selecting the proper soil
and location. the next important
hing is the selection of the seed.
We have had good success with
some of the antitrust strains grown
n Colorado We have also had good
success with Nebraska seed, where
{ Is grown In very large quantities.
Do not plant homegrown seed. as it
S apt to be mixed with other vari-
tiles OF cantaloupes. and possibly
With cucumbers, sQuashes. etc. Get
eod from the large seed firms,
which make a business Of growing
hem. Home grown seed does not
nature we'll For some reason the
eeds quite often sprout inside the
lelon before they are fully ripe. per-
APPS owing to the extremely hot
ln
Planting.
Before planting the seed. take
are Of the sage rats. No, one-sixth
the acreage planted In the Yaki.
IA valley. believe. is allowed to
reduce crops OF cantaloupes on ac.
punt OF the sage rats. which abound
lst at the time the Cautaloupcs are
'ming mp. Sage rats delight In cut.
ng off the young plants when the .ro
rst two leaves appear BY feeding 4.
70 SAGE rats poisoned wheat. plao. ~
6 some daily at the HOES. which te
e usually at the boundaries OF the to
ald. aud continuing the operation or
r ten days prior to the time OF re
anting, and until the plants are
rmins the third and fourth leaves. to
most any crop OF cantaloupes can pli
saved from those yermin as no
I'll as from mice The expense pu
not great and this work is abso- so
ely necessary where the sage en-
IS are in evidence. or
We have planted with good success th,
er the ground is thoroughly pre- ros
red, using Planet Jr. or other lou
EEL cultivator. We have also had
ID success using the Hin corn {
inter- We use about two pounds tivi
7 acre Of seed. and then thin out pla
en- the third and fourth leaves gro
bear. to about two plants in every ant
ee Or sour feet. Our plan on tho in