The Ordway new era., 1912-12-13
Expert Expatiates
on Cant, Culture
Specialist for Eastern Shipping
Firm Tells How Bumper
Crop May Be Grown

NIOk way OC S1O""
This article Is for the purpose Of
outlining and suggesting methods Of
better accomplishing satisfactory re-
suits In growing cantaloupes on a
commercial scale. With my seven.
teen years experience l hope to be
able to give you some valuable point
ers as to soil treatment and irrigation
as we'll as cultivation, picking. grad.
Ing and packing into crates, etc.
1t Is not the purpose of this article
to criticlse nor open the way for an
argument, but simply to discuss the
problems confronting US in the bet
terment Of the cantalOupe industry.
The ideas to be advanced may be of
value In further strengthening the
industry. Ny aim is TO create within
the minds Of the farmers enthusiasm
for practical application Of their ideas
for improving and maintaining the
cantaloupe industry as q money max.
er for the Ord way districts. Z
OF course we understand that the
farmer should be inventive, he should
devise ways and means whereby he
may be able to take the advantage Of
every ything possible to hasten the
growth and maturity. he should make
a study Of his soil, climatic condi-
tions, ETC., and prepare himself In
such way that he eau tell just what
plants need by looking at them while
they are growing. II the plants are
not looking just right and growing
there Is evidence that they are in
need OF some immediate attention.
For Instance. II the plants take on u
sickly, pale-yellow color this Is an In
dication Of too much water or that
the plant Is being choked out with
weeds or lacking In cultivation. One
thing is-Quite sure-plants showing
this sign are being robbed OF the
necessary plant food. and this is one
OF the difficult problems we should
fully acquaint ourselves with so as tt
give immediate relief to plants that
are in distress. 1t Is the business OF
the farmer to treat and handle his
soil so as to store and liberate all ele
ments OF plant food necessary for his
crops. 1t is conceded by all canta
loupe growers that cantalOupes Ur
alfalfa sod yield the best returns OF
any soil conditions we may select.
My experience In using fertilizer
has convinced me there is nothing
better than the old barn yard manure
In applying fertilizer OF any kind II
should be spread uniformly over the
land and worked In the soil to the
depth OF six or seven inches, either by
plowing or discing.
In selecting soil | find that almost
any sandy soil will be suitable fer the
growing cantal"uprs, provided, how
ever, that the land has the proper
drainage and uniform slope, sandy and
clay soils being more preferable
Cantaloupes grown on these soils will
show larger per cent OF perfect
melons and will be better shippers
than on any other types OF sdils.
In preparing land for cantal"upes
clean up and burn all trash. This
will be appreciated when you come tt
cultivate. Before plowing irrigate
your land thoroughly and AS SOON as II
is dry enough to work with team pull
verize the soil on the surface with d
steel harrow or disc, then pillow with
turning piow at least seven or niue
inches deeper. Fall or early winter
blowing show best results. If the
blowing is done during the fall OF
winter it is advisable to let 1t lay In
the rough. or, in other words, not
work it after blowing until the fol-
lowing spring, about two or three
weeks before planting time com
mence preparations Of seed bed disc.
ing, narrowing and leveling both
lenpthwise and crosswise. PulveriZe
soil thoroughly as you would In pre-
pairing a garden. The cantaIoupe
crop should be planted and cultivated
as a garden crop rather than Held
crop. as 1t will not respond to rough