The Fallon standard. (Fallon, Nev.) 1920-1958, 1922-04-26
Attention to Planting and Early
Care of Cantaloupes Essential
BY A. ]. Reed

After the plants have exhausted
the room under the papers, the
papers are removed, providing that
no heavy frosts are anticipated i'm
mediately.
Soil should be pulled around the
young plants protecting the tender
green stems. The papers should be
removed during that part of the day
when the soil and the atmosphere
are warm and in this way the plant
will have an opportunity to gradu-
ally adapt itself to the more severe
conditions of the open field. Some
growers remove the paper during
the day and place 1t back during the
cool of the night. From the time of
removal of papers the plant grows
rapidly, both above and below the
soil surface. From this period on
cultivation should be carried on
carefully. No close cultivation to
the plant should be given and no
deep hoeing or moving the plant
should be done.
one of the most important phases
of production. Much depends upon
soil. its condition, texture, and prev
ious handling. A soil which is
heavy or one which contains much
organic matter will not require the
water to produce the same results
that light sandy soil will require,
owing to the drainage and the LOGS
in transportation. The soil should
be given enough water throughout
the growing and producing season
to insure a thrifty healthy plant.
Many localities have attempted to
prune the vines and obtain the re-
suit of early production from the
plants. / believe that this pruning
can be successfully done by irrigat-
ing at the right time.
II the grower finds the plants are
growing to leaves and plant, he
should at once cut down on the
amount of water, which will cause
the plant to throw its strength into
fruiting.
This should be done at an early
stage so that the fruiting propensi-
ties of the plant will be used for
stump and crownset melons. which
are early melons and are to be
sought at all costs.
If this locality is to be known for
its early melons, these things must
be taken into consideration. There
is some garden soil here which is
rich in humos and holds consider
able water and which will make
late melons.
The melon fields should be pro-
tected when possible by trees or
hedges so that the blossoms will not
be whipped off by the winds and so
that it will be possible to use smudg-
es to prevent frosting early and late.
In picking the melons, the first
melons which come off can be found
when ready by the crack around the
stem as it connects with the melon.
When the field begins bearing this
should be the sign followed.
When the field is bearing we'll
the half-slip and the three-quarters
slip melons are the ones taken.
The picker gradually becomes IA
miliar with the difference in color
between the net and the body of the
melon. which is easily noted after
due experience in conjunction with
the forcing of the stem by trial,
which if ripe will come away clean
and smooth and partially tear for
the rest of the distance and is what
is known as the half-slip, while the
three-quarters slip are those melons
picked where one-quarter tears and
three-quarters slip or come away
smooth.
Seed should be selected from the
early melons inasmuch as we in this
locality are bound to breed for early
production. Therefore some sacri-
fee at this time is In order and
should be done willingly.
The irrigation during the picking
is carried on every five to seven days
The plants should never suffer for
the want of water and the moisture
uniform at all times.
1t is believed that cracking is
caused from the extremes in the
moisture content in the soil, the soil
being too dry today and too moist
tomorrow after the irrigation.